Bromeliad Plants Research Articles

Utilization of sewage sludge as fertilizer for silver vase bromeliad

Sewage sludge (SS) is a source of nutrients, and it improves the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, thereby increasing crop productivity. Accordingly, this study was aimed to evaluate the growth and development of the silver vase bromeliad (Aechmea fasciata) cultivated in a substrate with different doses of SS. To accomplish this, silver vase bromeliad plants were cultivated for 120 days in pots containing pine bark as a substrate with varying doses of solid SS (0, 18, 36, 54, or 72 g SS L−1). The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized block design, comprising five treatments and four replications, with four plants per pot, totaling 80 plants. Substrate fertilization with SS improved the nutritional status as well as the physiological and morphological parameters of the silver vase bromeliad. Fertilization with 72 g SS L−1 added to pine bark resulted in the best outcomes for plant height and the number of leaves.

Functional traits of predators and decomposer prey determine context dependency in trophic control over ecosystems.

Research Highlight: Piccoli, G. C. d. O., Antiqueira, P. A. P., Srivastava, D. S., & Romero, G. Q. (2024). Trophic cascades within and across ecosystems: The role of anti-predatory defences, predator type and detritus quality. Journal of Animal Ecology, 00, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14063. Ecosystem functioning is controlled by the interplay between bottom-up supply of limiting nutrients and top-down animal feedback effects. However, the degree of animal versus nutrient control is context-dependent. A key challenge lies in characterizing this context dependency which is hypothesized to depend on differences in animal functional traits. Reporting on an important experiment, Piccoli etal. (2014) evaluate how interactions among functionally different predators and decomposer prey create context dependency in top-down control of a model system-tropical bromeliad tank ecosystems. Bromeliad plants hold water in their tanks supporting microcosm ecosystems containing terrestrial and aquatic insect larvae and arachnids. The ecosystems are supported by nutrients in plant litter that rains down from forest canopies into the tanks. Nutrients are released after litter is decomposed by a functionally diverse community of larval insect decomposers that differ in feeding mode and antipredator defence strategy. This decomposer community is preyed upon by an exclusively narrowly ranging aquatic insect larval predator and widely ranging spider predator that crosses between the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial ecosystems. Experimental manipulation of the animal community to test for the degree of control by predators mediated by the functionally diverse prey community included four treatments: (i) a control with the detritivores composing different function groups but without predators, (ii) the cross-ecosystem spider predator added, (iii) the purely aquatic damselfly larvae predator added and (iv) both predator types added to capture their interacting effect on ecosystem function (decomposition, nutrient release, and plant growth). Notably, the study resolved the causal pathways and strengths of direct and indirect control using structural equation modelling. These findings reveal how context dependency arises due to different capacities of the predators alone and together to overcome prey defences and control their abundances, with attendant cascading effects that diminished as well as enhanced decomposition and nutrient release to support bromeliad plant production. The study reveals that predators have a decided, albeit qualitatively and quantitatively different, hand in shaping the degree of bottom-up control through feedback effect on the release of limiting nutrients. This ground-breaking study provides a way forward in understanding the mechanisms determining context dependency in the control over ecosystem functioning.

Increased Multiplication Rates of Vriesea hieroglyphica (Carriere) E. Morren Through a Temporary Immersion System.

The main difficulty for the cultivation and conservation of bromeliad species is the reduced number of propagules and slow growth of many of the species, resulting in a low propagation efficiency. Bromeliad plants are hardy and relatively easy to cultivate, with a high ornamental and ecological importance. Aiming at efficient micropropagation rates of V. hieroglyphica, a highly valued bromeliad, with very low propagation efficiency, a temporary immersion system was used and compared to semisolid and liquid static medium. Cultures obtained from in vitro germinated seeds were used as explants, maintaining their genetic diversity. Micropropagation with this simple temporary immersion system, composed of two autoclavable flasks, each with one opening for the attachment of 22μm syringe filters, connected by a rubber stopper and an inner glass tube. In the bottom flask, an air valve is attached to the filter, which is subsequently connected to an aquarium pump and a timer and plugged to an outlet. This simple temporary immersion system showed improved micropropagation efficiency and is a method that can also be evaluated for other species.

Recording earthworm diversity on the tropical island of Martinique using DNA barcoding unveiled endemic species in bromeliad plants

In a context of accelerating biodiversity loss, some species may become extinct before taxonomists have time to collect and describe them. This is an even more critical problem for taxa with poor taxonomic knowledge, such as earthworms in the tropics. To overcome this taxonomic impediment, we investigated earthworm diversity on the tropical island of Martinique using DNA barcoding. Firstly, we sampled earthworms at 81 sites evenly distributed in two categories corresponding to natural and anthropized environments. We obtained a total of 684 sequences of a fragment of the COI gene. MOTU delimitation and morphological identification suggested that this dataset corresponded to 49 putative species, of which 16 were known exotic species. The rarefaction curve suggested that the sampling effort was not sufficient to capture total earthworm diversity in the natural environment and that many more species could be discovered. Secondly, we focused on a heterogeneous landscape around the town of Morne Rouge, where arboreal earthworms were sampled using a standardized protocol. We found 8 different species in epiphytic plants, three of which were found almost exclusively in bromeliad plants that were sampled above 1.4 m from the ground. The presence of these species, probably endemic to Martinique and new to science, was significantly correlated to the proportion of forest land cover. The most common earthworm in these habitats was Dichogaster andina, an exotic species found in bromeliads and Heliconia plants that were sampled at every height from the bottom of the tree up to 6.8 m. Its presence was correlated to the proportion of total river length in the landscape, suggesting that rivers may act as a dispersal vector. This study therefore highlights the great diversity of earthworms in Martinique, while emphasizing the main threats to this biodiversity, namely the alteration of habitats and the presence of invasive species.

Bromeliads compete with microorganisms for nutrients in their phytotelm

Tank bromeliads impound water between their leaves, and have been successfully used as a model system to develop ecological theory. One fundamental interaction remains, however, unexplored in this system: the potential for bromeliad plants to compete with aquatic microorganisms for nutrients in their water-filled tanks. Here we conduct the first experimental test of this interaction by directly blocking bromeliads from accessing phytotelm water and quantifying change in the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, autotrophic algae and heterotrophic bacteria. To understand any context-dependency of responses, we crossed this manipulation with different combinations of light exposure and allochthonous resource type. We found that bromeliads reduced the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, especially when the resource was nutrient-rich. Bromeliads also reduced the concentration of heterotrophic bacteria within their tank regardless of environmental context and algal concentrations particularly under high light, nutrient-rich resource conditions. Our results demonstrate that bromeliads can strongly impact their phytotelm by reducing the concentration of key nutrients, concomitantly reducing densities of algae under optimal growth conditions. This strong competition with algae for nutrients may explain why high abundances of algae within wild tank bromeliads are only found under specific field conditions. Bacteria may have a more commensal relationship with bromeliads, as they tend to increase bromeliad nutrition through decomposition. In conclusion, our study underlines that tank bromeliads do not only provide habitats for other species, but also interact strongly with the aquatic ecosystem that they create.

Nesting ecology and first description of the male of Auplopus auripilus Cresson (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

Wasps of the family Pompilidae are recognized for their specialization in spider hunting, where females actively look for spiders to feed their offspring. However, both hunting and nesting behavior are remarkably variable among species. Such variations include different strategies like solitary nesting, communal aggregations or cleptoparasitism. Nonetheless, aspects of the ecology and taxonomy of species are either incomplete or fully missing, especially in most Neotropical species. Here, we provide aspects of the nesting and hunting ecology of Auplopus auripilus occurring in southern Mexico. Moreover, we present the taxonomical description of both sexes of A. auripilus, emphasizing on the male, which was previously undescribed. We found mud nests of A. auripilus attached to bromeliad plants in a rustic coffee plantation. The cells were provisioned with a single jumping spider Paraphidippus aurantius with amputated legs. After 21 days of rearing, adult wasps of A. auripilus, the cleptoparasite Irenangelus eberhardi and the brown lacewing Micromus sp. emerged from the nests. The golden pubescence and the polished pygidial area are the main characters differentiating A. auripilus from other Auplopus occurring in Mexico and Central America. Our study provides missing information to the ecology and taxonomy of A. auripilus. These findings will contribute to support future studies focused on patterns of distribution, test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses and gain a better comprehension of the role of these wasps across Neotropical ecosystems.

Ecosystem services provided by bromeliad plants: A systematic review.

The unprecedented loss of biological diversity has negative impacts on ecosystems and the associated benefits which they provide to humans. Bromeliads have high diversity throughout the Neotropics, but they have been negatively affected by habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, invasive species, and commercialization for ornamental purpose. These plants provide direct benefits to the human society, and they also form microecosystems in which accumulated water and nutrients support the communities of aquatic and terrestrial species, thus maintaining local diversity. We performed a systematic review of the contribution of bromeliads to ecosystem services across their native geographical distribution. We showed that bromeliads provide a range of ecosystem services such as maintenance of biodiversity, community structure, nutrient cycling, and the provisioning of food and water. Moreover, bromeliads can regulate the spread of diseases, and water and carbon cycling, and they have the potential to become important sources of chemical and pharmaceutical products. The majority of this research was performed in Brazil, but future research from other Neotropical countries with a high diversity of bromeliads would fill the current knowledge gaps and increase the generality of these findings. This systematic review identified that future research should focus on provisioning, regulating, and cultural services that have been currently overlooked. This would enhance our understanding of how bromeliad diversity contributes to human welfare, and the negative consequences that loss of bromeliad plants can have on communities of other species and the healthy functioning of the entire ecosystems.

Bromeliad targeted foliar treatments with Aqualuer® 20-20 for hot spot mitigation using three hand sprayers against Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Bromeliads serve as a key environmental resource for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in some peridomestic landscapes and are not addressed through conventional source reduction. As an alternative, three handheld sprayers were evaluated in point-source applications of permethrin to bromeliads in Saint Augustine, FL. Each machine was screened for its utility in point-source harborage treatments, while we simultaneously evaluated bromeliad-focused treatments for reducing Ae. albopictus egg abundance in bromeliad plants. Semi-field tests against caged Ae. albopictus produced 100% mortality at 24 h with each sprayer. Three field sites were assigned to each machine and a control, and bromeliad residual applications of Aqualuer 20-20® were assessed through egg surveillance using ovitraps both within and beyond 30 m of the treated bromeliad harborage. The treatment decreased Ae. albopictus egg abundance across the field sites for three weeks post-treatment with no significant differences among the equipment. Functional differences among machines, such as automated pressure control or leak guards on the nozzle, depend on the accessories that offer the greatest logistical benefit to the user. The field results suggest bromeliads are a viable target for harborage treatments. Selective treatments to bromeliads could offer a possible solution to containers that homeowners refuse to eliminate.

Bromeliad tanks are unique habitats for microbial communities involved in methane turnover

Background and aimsTank bromeliads collect organic matter and rainwater (= tank slurry) between their densely arranged leaf axils for their nutrient demand. Diverse communities of microorganisms inhabit these tanks and are responsible for the breakdown of organic matter. Anaerobic degradation results in the release of substantial amounts of methane. We hypothesized that each individual bromeliad harbors its own microbial community, which is affected by chemical tank-slurry properties. We further hypothesized that methanotrophic bacteria inhabit bromeliad tank slurries, potentially able to oxidize the produced CH4.MethodsWe investigated communities of Bacteria, Archaea, methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms measuring their abundance (qPCR) and composition (TRFLP) within eight bromeliad tanks of the species Werauhia gladioliflora sampled in a Costa Rican lowland forest. Tank slurries were analyzed for pH, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and fatty acid concentrations. Methane oxidation rates were determined in five bromeliad tank slurries.ResultsOur results showed that microbial communities differed between plants and were affected by chemical tank slurry properties. Further, not only methanogenic archaea but also methanotrophic bacteria were detected in the tanks of all bromeliad plants, the latter being potentially able to aerobically oxidize between 25 and 62 μg CH4 gdw−1 h−1.ConclusionOur results indicate that every bromeliad tank is a unique island with respect to its resident microbial community. The presence of methanogens and active methanotrophs in all tank slurries further indicates the potential for both methane formation and methane oxidation.

The role of bromeliads in rural livelihoods: An experience in Oaxaca, Mexico

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to analyze the commercialization of bromeliad plants as an alternative for diversification in Mandimbo Village, Oaxaca, Mexico. We follow the livelihood assets approach to examine natural, social, physical, human, and financial capitals. This study was conducted using surveys of village households, working group sessions with heads of family, and in-depth interviews of participants in the bromeliad initiative. The results show that after 10 yr of work, the bromeliad initiative has not been consolidated. The village has developed abundant natural and social capital, but less human, physical, and financial capital. We conclude that for progress of the initiative to occur, the main objectives need to be clarified and agreements between different parties of interest—the villagers, regional nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and research institutions—need to be established, as these can facilitate a successful financial strategy.

Genetic effects of tank-forming bromeliads on the associated invertebrate community in a tropical forest ecosystem

Within the area of community genetics there is an expanding volume of literature demonstrating how within-species genetic variation in temperate trees can have important effects on structuring animal and plant communities. The influence of intraspecific genetic variation on associated communities in relatively more complex ecosystems is only starting to be appreciated. Within tropical forests, epiphytic bromeliad plants often grow high in the canopy and create unique nutrient-rich microhabitats on which many invertebrate and vertebrate species depend. We investigated the influence of within-species genetic variation in the bromeliad Aechmea bracteata on the invertebrate microhabitat community. We found that more genetically similar bromeliad plants were host to more similar communities of juvenile-stage invertebrates, but not adult invertebrates. We discuss possible mechanisms for this, including differential survival and active female oviposition choice. Our work shows that the impact of within-species genetic variation on associated ecological communities may be more general than previously considered. These results agree with recent research suggesting that within-species genetic variation may perform a supporting ecosystem service for maintaining community and ecological processes.

Subgeneric diversity of Brasilonema (Cyanobacteria, Scytonemataceae).

The recently described scytonematoid cyanobacterial genus Brasilonema is known mainly from tropical and subtropical rain forests (Mata Atlântica) of southeastern Brazil, where it occurs in aerophytic wooden, stony and iron substrates. This genus was defined according to both molecular and morphological criteria. The type species B. bromeliae was described from the specialized habitat: it grows in phytothelmes, epiphytic on both living and died leaves within the rosettes of large bromeliad plants slightly above or in the zone of the water level. The genus Brasilonema is evidently widely distributed in coastal forests of Sao Paulo State, where it occurs also in remarkable diversity. According to our results, this genus currently comprises seven taxa, which are distinct by different morphology and ecological characteristics.

Epidemiological and entomological surveillance of the co-circulation of DEN-1, DEN-2 and DEN-4 viruses in French Guiana.

We surveyed the disease epidemiology of dengue in French Guiana after the first dengue haemorrhagic fever epidemic from 1991 to 1993 and during an endemic period from 1993 to 1995. DEN-1, DEN-2 and DEN-4 viruses were isolated from patients and DEN-4 was also isolated from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Cases of dengue were reported from all over the country, not only from urban areas, but also from rural areas and isolated human settlements, indicating widespread circulation of the viruses. The mosquito vector A. aegypti was found in all inhabited areas of French Guiana and small outdoor containers were the most common breeding grounds. Some ecological features of A. aegypti, such as larvae breeding in Bromeliad plants in the rainforest, a non-exclusive anthropophily and a high vertical transmission rate for dengue viruses, indicate that A. aegypti can behave as a reservoir for dengue viruses in silent areas. Dengue viruses may survive at an endemic level and cause outbreaks when unknown conditions become more favourable. This finding adds to our knowledge of the natural history of dengue viruses in the Americas.

The Bromeliad Microcosm and the Assessment of Faunal Diversity in a Neotropical Forest1

ABSTRACTThe faunas of tank bromeliads were sampled over two years in three forest types at different elevations in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, and the diversity of their animal communities compared. Bromeliad plants behaved as islands in that, within forests, the species richness and abundance of their animal communities were significantly and positively correlated with increase in plant size. The amount of canopy debris they accumulated was similarly correlated with increase in plant size. Overall diversity was lowest in the dwarf forest, where plants were uniformly small. Animal communities were stable from year to year, and could be characterised for each forest type and for compartments within the plant. They showed a pattern of high dominance, which increased with elevation (Mc‐Naughton index 37, 54, and 73, respectively, for the tabonuco, palo Colorado, and dwarf forest). Alpha‐diversity for sites sampled in each year reflected net primary productivity (NPP) of the forest, declining with increasing elevation when animal abundance measures were used (jackknife estimates of Simpson's diversity index 6.54 & 11.04 [tabonuco], 3.53 & 6.22 [palo Colorado], and 2.75 & 2.17 [dwarf forest]). Species richness over the two years, however, was highest in the intermediate palo Colorado forest (187 species), compared to 146 and 88 in the tabonuco and dwarf forests, respectively. These figures were close to jackknife estimates of maximum species richness. The difference in species richness between tabonuco and palo Colorado forests was significant in one year only. In addition to NPP, other factors, such as litter quality and the structural complexity of the habitat in the palo Colorado forest, may have influenced species richness. The most abundant species in individual plants were also the most widely occurring, confirming known patterns of abundance and distribution in other functional groups. Diversity within bromeliad microcosms at different elevations supported known relationships between diversity, productivity, and habitat complexity along gradients and was not related to differences in the total bromeliad habitat available for colonization.

Endemism and ecological islands: the ostracods from Jamaican bromeliads

1. The inhabitants of ecological islands, such as the phytolemata of bromeliad plants, provide an opportunity to examine the genetic patterns resulting from island radiations and draw inferences about modes of speciation.2. Allozyme electrophoresis, as well as mitochondrial DNA and morphological analyses, were employed to delimit species boundaries and assess the population genetic structure of the ostracods from bromeliads on the island of Jamaica.3. Nine species from the genus Elpidium were both sexually reproducing and endemic to the island. The other commonly encountered ostracod genus, Candonopsis, was represented by at least two sexually reproducing species.4. Most Elpidium species showed very restricted distributions, low heterozygosity, and marked gene pool fragmentation, suggesting that population bottlenecks have occurred frequently. Whether founder events played a causal role in the diversification of these ostracods remains uncertain, but bromeliad habitats seem to be a source of high biodiversity, and may represent an ideal setting for extensive allopatric speciation.

The desert epiphyte Tillandsia recurvata harbours the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri

Pseudomonas stutzeri, a nitrogen-fixing bacterium, was isolated from the interior of the desert epiphyte Tillandsia recurvata, which grows on electrical cables and giant columnar cacti in the semiarid zone of Baja California, Mexico. This study is the first to indicate the possible close association between bromeliad plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Key words: beneficial bacteria, bromeliads, Bromeliaceae, nitrogen fixation, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Tillandsia recurvata.