Become a member
Membership of IUFRO is open to any institution concerned with the promotion, support or conduct of research related to forests, trees and forest products.
Parasitic flowering plants are keystone components of forest ecosystems worldwide. Through their complex life history, these plants often cause both negative and positive impacts on biological communities (including plants, animals, and microorganisms with which they might be directly or only indirectly linked). In the context of global change, alterations in the distribution, ecology, and physiology of parasitic plant species can be expected. Such alterations could lead to profound environmental impacts including increased host tree mortality, loss of breeding and foraging sites for animals, disruption of facilitation interactions, and overall loss of biodiversity.
In this context, this Unit focuses on the biology, ecology, systematics, pathology, and human uses of parasitic flowering plants in forest ecosystems. Our goal is to accelerate the understanding about the role, utilization, and management of parasitic flowering plants in forests with a view to minimizing negative effects and enhancing the valuable ecological services provided by these plants. Forest Biologists, Pathologists, Ecologists, Botanists, and others interested in this field are invited to participate in the Unit's activities by contacting the Working Party Coordinator and/or Deputies via the address information on this page.
Additional resources
Introduction to Parasitic Flowering Plants: https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/parasiticplants/intro/Pages/ParasiticPlants.aspx
International Parasitic Plant Society: https://www.parasiticplants.org/
Parasitic Plant Connection: https://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/
Web Application for the Research of Parasitic Plants: https://warpp.app/
