Position, position, position : mites occupying leaf domatia are not uniformly distributed in the tree canopy

dc.contributor.authorSitungu, S.
dc.contributor.authorBarker, Nigel
dc.contributor.emailnigel.barker@up.ac.zaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-11-08T08:02:11Z
dc.date.issued2017-01
dc.description.abstractLeaf domatia are plant-produced cavities usually found in the axils of major veins on the abaxial side of leaves. These structures are found in many woody dicotyledonous plants and mediate a mutualistic relationships between predacious and Fungivorous mites and the host plants they protect. Mites inhabit leaf domatia for shelter and to reproduce and develop. In turn, the plants are hypothesized to benefit from increased defense against pathogens and small arthropod herbivores. Here we assess the distribution of mites throughout the tree canopy to determine if certain regions of the canopy are preferred. Our results suggests that mites prefer leaves found in the lower regions of the tree canopy and avoid leaves at the top, where they may be exposed to harsher climatic conditions. This study is one of the first to document aspects of the plant – mite mutualism from African species.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentPlant Scienceen_ZA
dc.description.embargo2018-01-31
dc.description.librarianhb2016en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the Department of Science and technology Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB). The first author also acknowledges financial support from the Canon Collins Trust and GreenMatter.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/sajben_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSitungu, S & Barker, NP 2017, 'Position, position, position : mites occupying leaf domatia are not uniformly distributed in the tree canopy', South African Journal of Botany, vol. 108, pp. 23-28.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0254-6299 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1727-9321 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.sajb.2016.09.012
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/57723
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherElsevieren_ZA
dc.rights© 2016 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in South African Journal of Botany. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in South African Journal of Botany, vol. 108, pp. 23-28, 2017. doi : 10.1016/j.sajb.2016.09.012.en_ZA
dc.subjectLeaf domatiaen_ZA
dc.subjectGardenia thunbergiaen_ZA
dc.subjectMitesen_ZA
dc.subjectMutualismen_ZA
dc.subjectOcotea bullataen_ZA
dc.subjectTree canopyen_ZA
dc.subjectDiurnal migrationen_ZA
dc.titlePosition, position, position : mites occupying leaf domatia are not uniformly distributed in the tree canopyen_ZA
dc.typePostprint Articleen_ZA

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