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The basis of this study is the notion that, within plants, available resources may not be distributed in proportion to tissue demand in sectored plants, since not all roots are connected to all leaves. The authors argue that resource allocation patterns in sectorial plants are a complex function of at least two influences: vascular conduit arrangement and tissue demand. In addition, these patterns may be a function of effective sectoriality, which is influenced both by ionic concentrations in xylem sap and the size of the resource being transported.

This study was performed on Australian Ficus species with terrestrial and strangling habits in the forest and glasshouse to elucidate the figs’ strategies to adapt to the epiphytic habitat, including nitrogen-and water-use. The authors compare strangler figs in epiphytic and mature soil-rooted life phases, comparing morphological and physiological traits, and examining two species of …