Impact of hemiparasitic species Rhinanthus minor on grassland diversity

Abstract

& L. is found in a wide range of grassland habitats in the Serbia, being typically associated with hay meadow communities with a high floristic diversity. Influence of hemiparasitic species & , grown in meadow communities ! Cinc. et Kojic and , Pavl.on Mt. Stol (Eastern Serbia), on productivity and species richness was investigated. The aim of this study was to determine its host range and selectivity and to evaluate its significance and contribution as a valuable resource, as it opens up the sward of grass, allowing other plants light and nutrients to grow. The two investigated mesophyllous meadow communities were dominated by grasses , , , 0 , ! , ! , and , and leguminoses , , and The presence of & in grassland is strongly related to soil fertility (productivity). & was found to be more frequent in , than in ! . It was frequently associated with the following species: 0 (80%), (59%), , (55%) and & (58%). Only three species were found to be significantly positively associated with & : , 0 and . In contrast, 20 species were significantly negatively associated with & : By examining the number of haustorial attachments between host and parasite (based on the relative haustorial frequency to host root weight), it was suggested that & showed host preference in the following order , 0 , and .