Hemiepiphytic figs kill their host trees: Acquiring phosphorus is a driving factor

• 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 non-hemiepiphytic 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. 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.