REGULAR ARTICLE Nutrient input from hemiparasitic litter favors plant species with a fast-growth strategy Andreas Demey & Jeroen Staelens & Lander Baeten & Pascal Boeckx & Martin Hermy & Jens Kattge & Kris Verheyen Received: 29 November 2012 / Accepted: 21 February 2013 / Published online: 15 March 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013 Abstract Aims Hemiparasitic plants often produce nutrient-rich litter with high decomposition rates, and thus can enhance nutrient availability. When plant species have differential affinities for this nutrient source, hemiparasitic litter might influence species composi- tion in addition to the parasitic suppression of host species. We expected that species adapted to fertile habitats derive a higher proportion of nutrients from the hemiparasitic litter compared to other species. Methods 15 N-labeled litter of Rhinanthus angustifolius and Pedicularis sylvatica was added to experimental field plots and adjacent litter bags. We examined N release from the litter, N uptake by the vegetation 2, 4 and 12 months after litter addition and differences in the proportion of N taken up from the litter (N L ) between co-occurring species. Results The percentage of N in shoots of co-occurring plant species that is derived from the added hemiparasitic litter (N L ) strongly differed between the species (0.1–6.2 %). After exclusion of species with an alternative N source (legumes as well as ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal species), N L was positively related (p <0.001) with specific leaf area (SLA) and at Pedicularis sites with leaf N con- centration (LNC) and leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC) (p <0.05), i.e. leaf traits associated with a fast- growth strategy and adaptation to high-nutrient environments. Conclusions Our results suggest that nutrient release from hemiparasitic litter favors plant species with a fast-growth strategy adapted to high-nutrient environ- ments compared to species with a slow-growth strate- gy. Whether continued hemiparasitic litter inputs are able to change species composition in the long term requires further research. Plant Soil (2013) 371:53–66 DOI 10.1007/s11104-013-1658-4 Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers. A. Demey (*) : J. Staelens : L. Baeten : K. Verheyen Forest & Nature Lab (ForNaLab), Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090 Gontrode, Belgium e-mail: andreas.demey@ugent.be M. Hermy Division Forest, Nature and Landscape (FNL), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium J. Staelens : P. Boeckx Isotope Bioscience Laboratory (ISOFYS), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium L. Baeten Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium J. Kattge Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knoell Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany