Article: Blade abandonment/proliferation: a novel mechanism for rapid epiphyte control in marine macrophytes.

INTRODUCTION

The effects of epiphytes on their host plants can be beneficial (e.g., Penhale and Smith 1977, Orth and Montfrans 1984), but are more often harmful (see review by Jacobs 1988), particularly at high epiphyte densities. In the case of some terrestrial vascular plants, epiphyte loads could result in detrimental breakage by increasing wind resistance and by their sheer mass. More indirect epiphyte effects on terrestrial hosts accrue from competitive overshading or by trapping debris and moisture, which attract bacterial, fungal, and insect pests (Johansson 1974, Kiew 1982). In terrestrial systems, the abscission of leaves during adverse conditions (e.g., ...

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