Hemiepiphytic figs killing their host trees is an ecological process unique to the tropics. Yet the benefits and adaptive strategies of their special life history remain poorly understood. We compared leaf phosphorus (P) content data of figs and palms worldwide, and functional traits and substrate P content of hemiepiphytic figs (Ficus tinctoria), their host palm and nonhemiepiphytic conspecifics at different growth stages in a common garden. We found that leaf P content of hemiepiphytic figs and their host palms significantly decreased when they were competing for soil resources, but that of hemiepiphytic figs recovered after host death. P availability in the canopy humus and soil decreased significantly with the growth of hemiepiphytic figs. Functional trait trade-offs of hemiepiphytic figs enabled them to adapt to the P shortage while competing with their hosts. From the common garden to a global scale, the P competition caused by high P demand of figs may be a general phenomenon. Our results suggest that P competition is an important factor causing host death, except for mechanically damaging and shading hosts. Killing hosts benefits hemiepiphytic figs by reducing interspecific P competition and better acquiring P resources in the P-deficient tropics, thereby linking the life history strategy of hemiepiphytic figs to the widespread P shortage in tropical soils.

中文翻译：

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半附生无花果会杀死它们的寄主树：获取磷是一个驱动因素。

半附生无花果杀死寄主树是热带地区独有的生态过程。然而，他们特殊生活史的好处和适应策略仍然知之甚少。我们比较了世界范围内无花果和棕榈树的叶磷（P）含量数据，以及半附生无花果（Ficus tinctoria）、它们的寄主棕榈和非半附生同种植物在普通花园不同生长阶段的功能性状和底物磷含量。我们发现，半附生无花果及其寄主棕榈在争夺土壤资源时叶磷含量显着降低，但半附生无花果在寄主死亡后恢复。随着半附生无花果的生长，冠层腐殖质和土壤中磷的有效性显着降低。半附生无花果的功能性状权衡使它们能够在与宿主竞争的同时适应磷短缺。从普通花园到全球范围内，无花果高磷需求引发的磷竞争可能是普遍现象。我们的研究结果表明，P 竞争是导致宿主死亡的重要因素，除了机械损伤和遮蔽宿主。杀死寄主通过减少种间磷竞争和更好地获取磷缺乏的热带地区的磷资源来使半附生无花果受益，从而将半附生无花果的生活史策略与热带土壤中普遍存在的磷短缺联系起来。除了机械损坏和遮蔽主机。杀死寄主通过减少种间磷竞争和更好地获取磷缺乏的热带地区的磷资源来使半附生无花果受益，从而将半附生无花果的生活史策略与热带土壤中普遍存在的磷短缺联系起来。除了机械损坏和遮蔽主机。杀死寄主通过减少种间磷竞争和更好地获取磷缺乏的热带地区的磷资源来使半附生无花果受益，从而将半附生无花果的生活史策略与热带土壤中普遍存在的磷短缺联系起来。