Mite communities within Protea infructescences in South Africa
Journal: SUNScholar (Stellenbosch University)
Year: 2011

Mites are the primary vectors of various Protea-associated fungi e.g. ophiostomatoid fungi and may thus influence the ecology of these plants. Very little is, however, known about the biotic and abiotic factors that influence the association between mites and Protea. In this study we investigated factors that may influence mite communities within the infructescences of various Protea species collected from across South Africa. The influence of host taxonomic group, plant architecture and various