Mistletoes are epiphytic hemiparasitic plants that are known to negatively affect the growth of their hosts, increase tree mortality, and as a consequence change the community dynamics. Mistletoe alters the mineral nutrition of the host and the nutrient cycle in the soil. In the present study, the elemental nutrient status is described for Acacia asak, A. ehrenbergiana, A. gerrardii, and A. tortilis that were infected with the mistletoe Plicosepalus curviflorus, at three levels of infection (no infection, low and high infection). The nutrients of the mistletoe and the soil under the studied acacias were also determined. The elemental contents of the infected Acacia species were significantly reduced compared to non-infected trees, particularly for potassium and sodium. The reduction in the elemental composition was also species-specific and dependent on infection density. Elemental contents of the mistletoe were significantly higher than their Acacia hosts, particularly for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and the concentrations of minerals in mistletoe tissues were host- and density-dependent. This study revealed a significant increase in nutrients in the soil beneath the canopy of infected Acacia compared to the non-infected trees. Overall, it appears that mistletoe infection has a dual effect. It threatens the health of the Acacia, potentially killing its host tree due to absorption of host nutrients particularly when the infection intense. It also has a positive effect in that it improves the availability of the micro-habitat of nutrients under the canopy, which in turn may contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity.

槲寄生是附生的半寄生植物，已知会对其寄主的生长产生负面影响，增加树木死亡率，进而改变群落动态。槲寄生改变了宿主的矿物质营养和土壤中的养分循环。在本研究中，元素的营养状态的描述相思ASAK，A. ehrenbergiana，A. gerrardii和A. tortilis感染了槲寄生是Plicosepalus curviflorus，在三个层次感染（无感染，低和高感染） 。还确定了所研究的相思树下槲寄生和土壤的养分。被感染相思树的元素含量与未感染的树木相比，该物种的数量大大减少，尤其是钾和钠。元素组成的减少也是物种特异性的，并取决于感染密度。槲寄生的元素含量显着高于其金合欢寄主，尤其是氮，磷和钾，且槲寄生组织中矿物质的浓度取决于寄主和密度。这项研究表明，与未感染的树木相比，被感染的相思树冠下的土壤中的养分显着增加。总体而言，槲寄生感染似乎具有双重作用。它威胁相思的健康，尤其是在感染强烈时，可能由于吸收宿主营养物质而杀死其宿主树。它还具有积极的作用，因为它提高了冠层下养分的微生境的利用率，进而有助于维持生物多样性。