扰动环境中不同刈割方式柠条营养生长补偿的影响

柠条（Caragana korshinskii）在地上组织破坏后进行补偿性生长,这是重复利用柠条资源的基础,但对 柠条不同刈割方式下营养生长补偿的模式有待探讨。该文通过5种刈割方式：去除主枝长的30%（30%RSL） 、去除主枝长的60%（60%RSL）、去除分枝数的25%（25%RSN）、去除分枝数的50%（50%RSN）和去除分枝 数的100%（100%RSN）来研究柠条的营养生长补偿。结果表明：刈割处理的柠条生物量当年发生了超补偿 ,当年生枝数/枝、当年生枝长、当年生枝生物量/枝、当年生枝生物量/株比对照高。对照、30%RSL和 60%RSL 处理未长出基梢。 100%RSN处理的基梢数/刈割枝、基梢长、单个基梢平均生物量显著高于25%RSN 和50%RSN处理,基梢生物量/株随刈割去除生物量的增加而增加。100%RSN 处理未结果,其它处理果实产量 表现出超补偿或精确补偿。对照处理营养生长和生殖生长均低,其它处理当年生枝生物量与果实产量成显 著负相关。从整个生长季节来看,营养生长主要集中在果实成熟之前。我们认为,100%RSN处理是柠条地上 组织破坏后尽快恢复的合理方式,其当年生生物量远高于其它处理。顶端优势的破坏促使休眠芽的萌发, 根冠比的改变使地上组织获得较多养分和水分,根系储存的碳水化合物的供应是促使刈割柠条营养生长超 补偿的的可能机制,而减少生殖生长对资源的消耗,是100%RSN处理地上生物量尽快恢复的另一重要因素 。     

光照，施肥及刈割对垂穗披碱草生长的影响

以甘南高寒草甸常见牧草垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）为研究对象,比较不同光照、肥力条件下,垂穗披碱草对刈割的生长和补偿反应。研究发现,光照和肥力存在交互作用。施肥、中度光照下,未刈割单株垂穗披碱草地上生物量最大,为3．239g。施肥、中度光照下,比较刈割植株地上生物量补偿发现：晚期刈割单株地上生物量的补偿大于早期刈割;刈割强度无显著影响;刈割两次单株地上生物量的补偿最大。施肥、中度光照、晚期、轻度、一次刈割时,单株垂穗披碱草地上生物量累积最大,为4．500g。全光照、未施肥条件下,刈割对单株地上生物量的补偿无影响。就补偿机制而言,植株地上生物量的增加以地下生物量为代价。     

刈割、施肥和浇水对矮嵩草补偿生长的影响

通过对青海海北高寒矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)草甸进行为期3年的野外控制试验, 研究了刈割(留茬1 cm、3 cm及不刈割)、施肥(2.5 g·m^-2尿素+ 0.6 g·m^-2磷酸二胺、不施肥)和浇水(20.1 kg·m^-2、不浇水)处理对矮嵩草补偿生长(包括分株密度、株高和分株地上生物量)的影响, 及其比叶面积、叶片净光合速率和相对增长率的变化, 探讨矮嵩草补偿生长的机制。研究结果表明: 刈割后, 矮嵩草的补偿生长高度和比叶面积显著降低; 分株密度有增加的趋势, 但会随刈割强度的增加而下降; 株高和生物量的相对增长率随刈割强度的增加而呈上升趋势; 补偿地上生物量在重度刈割处理下最高。施肥能显著增加矮嵩草的补偿高度、分株密度、补偿地上生物量、株高相对增长率、生物量相对增长率、比叶面积和净光合速率; 与不浇水处理相比, 浇水处理对重度刈割处理下的分株地上生物量、密度相对增长率、比叶面积和净光合速率无影响, 而显著降低了中度刈割处理下的补偿高度和株高相对增长率, 提高了不刈割处理下的分株密度和重度刈割处理下的生物量相对增长率。刈割、施肥和浇水处理的交互作用也显示出刈割与施肥对矮嵩草补偿生长具有拮抗效应, 而刈割与浇水具有协同效应。上述结果说明, 矮嵩草在刈割后可通过增加分株密度和相对增长率等途径来提高补偿能力, 弥补在生长高度上出现的低补偿, 而施肥可显著抵消刈割的不利影响, 提高矮嵩草的补偿能力。     

刈割对外来入侵植物黄顶菊的生长、 气体交换和荧光的影响

为明确不同刈割处理对黄顶菊生长和生理特性的影响,本研究在田间条件下,对黄顶菊在生长季内不同时间进行刈割处理。结果表明,刈割降低了黄顶菊植株各部分的生物量积累,其中以刈割3次效果最为显著,使黄顶菊总生物量、根生物量、茎生物量、叶生物量分别较对照下降82.57%、44.53%、80.04%、91.76%;植株的高度和花序数随刈割次数的增加显著降低,其中刈割3次的花序数为0;刈割1次植株分枝数最大,出现超补偿现象,刈割3次分枝数显著低于其他处理;叶绿素含量除了刈割2次出现增高趋势外,随刈割次数的增加,叶绿素含量逐渐降低;刈割处理使黄顶菊净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Cond)和蒸腾速率(Tr)均显著升高;刈割3次的PSⅡ的最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)和PSⅡ的潜在活性(Fv/F0)显著低于其它各处理,而初始荧光(F0)则显著增加;生长指标的可塑性指数大于生理指标可塑性指数,表明前者在黄顶菊对刈割处理等物理措施适应方面起到了更为重要的作用。总之,刈割3次处理黄顶菊的各项生长和生理指标所受影响最大,对黄顶菊植株的再生和开花结实抑制效果最为理想。     

红松雌球果发育对枝叶营养生长和生物量积累的影响

通过对红松生殖枝和营养枝当年的枝叶生长及生物量积累差异的分析,研究2年生雌球果发育对枝叶营养生长和生物量积累的影响。结果表明:2年生雌球果抑制了1年生雌球果的发育,生殖枝当年的营养生长比营养枝当年的营养生长旺盛;生殖枝当年的生长量(顶枝芽除外)与母枝的枝长和基径呈显著正相关(P0.05),生殖枝当年的顶枝和侧枝生物量与母枝的枝生物量呈显著正相关(P0.05); 2年生雌球果数量与生殖枝当年的顶枝基径、侧枝长、侧枝基径、侧枝芽数量和侧枝数量呈显著正相关(P0.05),2年生雌球果生物量与当年的顶枝和侧枝生物量及总生物量呈显著正相关(P0.05),说明2年生雌球果的发育促进了生殖枝当年的营养生长和生物量积累;生殖枝当年的总生物量中分配给顶枝、侧枝、顶枝针叶、侧枝针叶的生物量比营养枝多,生殖枝中超过87%的当年生物量分配给2年生雌球果,仅有0.22%的比例分配给1年生雌球果;通径分析表明,2年生雌球果的生物量积累直接影响生殖枝母枝的生物量积累,对生殖枝和营养枝当年生物量积累没有直接影响,而生殖枝母枝的生物量直接影响生殖枝和营养枝当年的生物量积累。     

刈割加遮荫综合治理互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)

互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)是我国危害最严重的外来入侵植物之一,探索经济有效的控制治理技术对保护我国海滩生态环境具有重要意义。本研究集成了刈割与遮荫2种物理控制方法综合治理互花米草,并与单一刈割的治理效果进行对比。结果表明:单一刈割虽然显著降低了互花米草植株的节数、株高和地上生物量等个体生长特征(P0.05),但对互花米草植株的节长、基茎、种群密度、结穗率和穗长等特征没有显著影响(P0.05),6个月后互花米草刈割种群的无性生长和有性生殖特征与对照种群已无显著差别。而刈割加遮荫综合处理不仅显著抑制了互花米草节数、节长、基茎、株高、生物量等生长指标(P0.05),而且有效抑制了幼苗形成,完全抑制互花米草的有性繁殖,显著降低种群密度(P0.05),最后导致植株地上部分全部死亡,其控制效果远优于单一刈割处理。刈割与遮荫综合控制的方法主要适用于去除入侵早期、小面积分布的单一互花米草种群并恢复为沙滩,也可以作为生物替代方法的前期处理。     

刈割对UV-B辐射增强下紫花苜蓿光合及荧光特性的影响

以紫花苜蓿(金皇后)为试验材料,UV-B辐射增强5%(T_1)和增强10%(T_2),研究了当年生紫花苜蓿光合荧光特性和地上生物量在重度刈割下对增强UV-B辐射的响应。结果表明:在刈割前后两个生育期中,与CK相比,随着UV-B强度增加各指标均呈下降趋势;在T_1处理下,与刈割前相比,刈割后紫花苜蓿Chla、Chlb、Chl(a+b)、净光合速率和荧光参数F_v/F_m在分枝期和结荚期均显著增加;在T_2处理下,在分枝期和结荚期,刈割也显著增强了紫花苜蓿Chla、Chlb、Chl(a+b)、净光合速率和F_v/F_m,增幅分别高达32%、30%、20%、17%和22%;地上生物量随着生育期的推进而增加,与刈割前相比,刈割后T_1和T_2处理的增幅分别高达49%和199%;方差分析表明,刈割与增强UV-B处理对紫花苜蓿光合特性和荧光参数的交互作用不明显;表明适度刈割在一定程度上可以缓解UV-B辐射对紫花苜蓿造成的伤害。     

盐碱条件下刈割干扰对羊草的氮素分配策略及补偿生长的影响

土地盐碱化和过度放牧是制约松嫩平原畜牧业发展的两大因素,羊草是松嫩平原上的优势种,被认为具有较强的耐牧及耐盐碱能力.本文通过田间原位试验,以叶面涂抹标记¹⁵N-尿素的方法,研究了不同盐碱条件下刈割干扰对羊草的氮素分配策略及补偿生长的影响.结果表明: 总体上叶面新吸收的氮60%以上保留在地上部分.与不施盐碱无刈割处理的对照相比,单纯的盐碱胁迫使新吸收的氮在细根中的分配率显著增加了5.1%;而盐碱胁迫下,中度刈割使叶面新吸收的氮在地上部分的分配率增加了11.6%,地上及总生物量发生超补偿生长,但是重度刈割使叶面新吸收的氮在茎基部的分配率显著增加了9.5%,地上、细根及总生物量均表现为欠补偿生长.上述结果表明盐碱胁迫下,中度刈割干扰时羊草采取积极的再生策略,促进其超补偿生长,但在重度刈割时羊草会采取增加氮素在茎基部存储的相对保守的氮素分配和生长策略.     

青藏高原东部高寒草甸群落生物量和补偿能力对施肥与刈割的响应

以青藏高原东部高寒草甸群落为研究对象,通过比较了不同施肥条件和不同刈割对群落地上生物量和多样性的影响。结果表明施肥可提高生物量且生物多样性降低,施肥和刈割处理后,施肥效应显著而刈割效应不显著,说明施肥是主效应。实验还发现施肥可提高群落的补偿能力;不同资源梯度的情况下植物群落对刈割处理后补偿作用也不相同,对刈割处理后植物群落补偿能力随资源的升高而增强。当未施肥和施肥30g/m^2时相同强度的1次刈割的补偿能力较相同强度的2次刈割的补偿能力大;当施肥60g/m^2和120g/m^2时相同强度的2次刈割的补偿能力较相同强度的1次刈割的补偿能力大。     

施肥和刈割对冷地早熟禾补偿生长的影响

以青藏高原东部高寒草甸常见牧草冷地早熟禾(Poa crymophila)为研究对象,比较研究了肥力和不同刈割处理对植物生长和生物量补偿的影响。实验采用随机设计,肥力分为施肥和不施肥,刈割处理为刈割时间、刈割频度和刈割强度3因子组合。结果表明:不刈割情况下,施肥显著促进冷地早熟禾的生长,而在刈割情况下,施肥对植物的生长没有明显的促进作用甚至有负作用。不施肥,刈割可促进冷地早熟禾地上生物量的增加并发生超补偿,但补偿程度因刈割强度、刈割频度和刈割时间而异;施肥时,刈割没有或很少促进植株发生超补偿。超补偿发生时,资源贫瘠的条件可能是必需的。冷地早熟禾发生超补偿可能是以损耗地下部分的资源为代价的,刈割刺激分蘖的增加对超补偿的发生也有一定的贡献。     

Responses of Caragana korshinskii to different aboveground shoot removal: combining defence and tolerance strategies

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is generally assumed that plants respond to natural enemies by either allocating resources to resistance traits or compensating for damage. This study evaluated how different methods of artificial shoot removal influence two alternative strategies (i.e. tolerance and defence) of Caragana korshinskii in the semi-arid area of China. METHODS: Zero per cent (control), 30% (30%) and 60% (60%) of the main shoot length and 25% (25%), 50% (50%) and 100% (100%) of the numbers of main shoots were removed from shrubs. KEY RESULTS: Moderate clipping treatments [30% removal of partial shoot length (RSL), 25% removal of shoot number (RSN) and 50% RSN] improved seed production, whereas the most intensive clipping treatments (60% RSL and 100% RSN) with most or total removal of potential flower buds reduced current reproduction fitness compared with controls. All treatments produced a similar leaf phenolic content, with the exception of 100% RSN which resulted in a low leaf phenolic content. In spite of a substantial investment in regrowth, clipped plants increased biomass allocation to physical defence. Control plants almost did not grow, had lower levels of physical defence and a lower photosynthetic rate, mobilized fewer carbohydrates from roots and produced more flowers. However, their current fitness was lower than that of plants undergoing clipping treatments (30% RSL, 25% RSN and 50% RSN) because of the high level of abortion of flowers and fruits. CONCLUSIONS: Caragana korshinskii responded to aboveground shoot removal through combining defence and tolerance strategies.     

Fruit production of shrub, Caragana korshinskii, following above-ground partial shoot removal: mechanisms underlying compensation

A number of studies have showed that under some conditions plant may partially, fully or overcompensate for tissue loss, however, the mechanisms underlying compensation are not well understood and still need to be researched. We examined the ability of Caragana korshinskii to compensate for fruit production after above-ground partial shoot removal. Fruit production of 30% main shoot length removal (30% RSL) and 25 and 50% main shoot number removal (25% RSN, 50% RSN) resulted in overcompensation and the response of 60% main shoot length removal (60% RSL) was full compensation. Plants’ responses associated with compensation included (1) greater reproduction efficiency (RA); (2) increased fruit set; (3) decreased fruit abortion; (4) increased seed number per pod; and (5) higher individual seed biomass. These responses may have resulted from more nectar production per flower, more sucrose flux per pod and more sucrose flux per seed of clipped plants, which may in turn have resulted from (1) drawing upon more non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) from roots to supply flower bud development and the flush of new foliage; (2) supplying more photosynthetic assimilation to fruit development owing to increases in leaf-level photosynthetic rates. Increases in leaf-level photosynthetic rates may be caused by more nutrient (nitrogen) and water availability per unit area of resource leaves after clipping.     

Activities of starch hydrolytic enzymes and starch mobilization in roots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caragana korshinskii</Emphasis> following above-ground partial shoot removal

In many resprouting plants, carbohydrates are stored as starch in roots and will be mobilized to support above-ground tissue regrowth after shoot damage. Our objective was to determine how activities of starch hydrolytic enzymes change damage-induced starch mobilization in Caragana korshinskii roots after above-ground tissue loss. Zero percent (control), 30% (30% RSL), 60% (60% RSL) of main shoot length, and 25% (25% RSN), 50% (50% RSN), and 100% (100% RSN) of main shoot number were removed. Compared with control plants, clipping accelerated the reduction of starch in the roots, increased sucrose flux per flower per hour and nectar production per flower per day in 30% RSL, 60% RSL, 25% RSN, and 50% RSN treatments, and improved vegetative growth in 100% RSN treatment. All treatments had similar total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations in leaves, shoots, and stems with the exception of 100% RSN with higher TNC concentration in shoots. Both α-, and β-amylase activities were enhanced by clipping, the former being more strongly correlated with starch degradation in the roots than the latter. The other two possible starch-breaking enzymes, α-glucosidase, and starch phosphorylase showed no significant differences in the activities between treatments. The results suggest that starch degradation in the roots of C. korshinskii was regulated by α-amylase activity and more mobilized starch was used to support vegetative growth in 100% RSN treatment and support sexual reproduction followed by other clipping treatments.     

The effects of nutrient availability and removal of competing vegetation on resprouter capacity and nutrient accumulation in the shrub Erica multiflora

Nutrient availability is increasing in the Mediterranean Basin due to the great number and intensity of fires and higher levels of anthropomorphic pollution. In the experiment described in this paper, we aimed to determine the effects of N and P availability and of the removal of competing vegetation on resprouter capacity, biomass, and nutrient accumulation in Erica multiflora. Plants of the resprouter species E. multiflora were clipped to 0% of aerial biomass in a post-fire Mediterranean shrubland and fertilisation experiments and removal of competing vegetation were established in a factorial design. The resprouting of clipped plants was monitored during the first year after clipping and at the end of the year, all plant resprout populations were harvested and their resprout structure, biomass and N and P content measured. N fertilisation had no significant effect on leaf biomass either at plant level or on the total aerial biomass per stump unit area; however N concentration in resprout biomass did increased. P fertilisation slightly increased resprouting vigour and had a significant effect on P content of the leaf biomass. The removal of competing vegetation increased the ratio between leaf biomass and stem biomass, the lateral expansion of resprout, the hierarchy of resprouts branching, and the P content of stems, above all when P fertilisation was applied. These results show that as a response to decreased competition E. multiflora has the capacity to modify the relative proportions of the nutrients in the aerial biomass. All these characteristics allow E. multiflora to persist in increasingly disturbed Mediterranean ecosystems and contribute to the retention of nutrients in the ecosystem during early resprouting phases.     

Significance of the simultaneous growth of vegetative and reproductive organs in the prostrate annual Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small (Euphorbiaceae)

To elucidate the significance of the simultaneous growth of vegetative and reproductive organs in the prostrate annual Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small (Euphorbiaceae) from the standpoint of meristem allocation, we investigated plant architecture, meristem allocation, and the spatial and temporal patterns in vegetative growth and reproduction in the reproductive stage. The numbers of secondary and tertiary shoots successively increased by branching in the reproductive stage, and the sum of shoot length was greater in secondary shoots than in primary shoots. The specific shoot length (shoot length per shoot biomass) was greater in lateral shoots than in primary shoots, indicating efficient lateral shoot elongation. The internode length was shorter in secondary shoots than in primary shoots, increasing the number of nodes per shoot length in secondary shoots. Many nodes on a shoot generated two meristems, one of which committed to a flower and one to a lateral shoot. The number of reproductive meristems was greatest in tertiary shoots, and 96% of total reproductive meristems on shoots were generated in lateral shoots. On almost all nodes, the reproductive meristem developed into a flower, and 95–98% of the flowers produced a fruit. Therefore, vegetative growth by branching in the reproductive stage contributed to the increase in reproductive outputs. From the standpoint of meristem allocation, the simultaneous growth of vegetative and reproductive organs in prostrate plant species might be important for increasing the number of growth and reproductive meristems, resulting in the increase in reproductive outputs.     

Compensatory growth response of the legume, Medicago sativa, to defoliation and denodulation

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effects of defoliation and denodulation on compensatory growth of Medicago sativa (L.). Plants grown hydroponically in clear plastic growth pouches were subjected to 0 and 50% nodule pruning, and 0, 25, 50, and 75% defoliation by clipping trifoliate leaves. An additional experiment was conducted to determine if clipping leaves simulated herbivory by Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) larvae. Previously, we determined that nodule pruning accurately simulated herbivory by Sitona hispidulus (L.) larvae (Quinn & Hall, 1992). Results indicated that denodulation stimulated nodule growth and caused exact compensation in standing and total number of nodules per plant within 15 days and in standing nodule biomass within 22 days of treatment. Denodulation caused a significant reduction (13%) in final shoot biomass, but did not affect significantly final root biomass. Percentage of change in number of trifoliate leaves per plant increased with the level of defoliation. Within 22 days of treatment, total number of trifoliate leaves per plant was similar to controls. However, final standing shoot biomasses were significantly less that controls, indicating undercompensatory growth. Shoot biomasses of the 25-, 50-, and 75%-defoliated plants were 18, 20, and 36% lower than controls, respectively. Nodule biomass per plant was reduced by 24 and 32% in 50- and 75%-defoliated plants, respectively, but was not affected significantly by 25% defoliation. Root biomass was affected by all levels of defoliation. Clipping trifoliate leaves accurately simulated defoliation by H. postica larvae. Our results indicated that partial defoliation affected shoot, root, and nodule biomass of M. sativa, but that partial denodulation only affected shoot biomass.     

Current-year and subsequent-year effects of crop-load manipulation and epicormic-shoot removal on distribution of long, short and epicormic shoot growth in Prunus persica

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The distribution of canopy growth among different shoot types such as epicormic, long and short shoots is not well understood in the peach tree. In this experiment, the effects of crop load and early epicormic sprout removal on current and subsequent-year distribution of vegetative growth among epicormic, long and short shoots was investigated in Prunus persica. METHODS: Field trials were conducted in Winters, California, in 2003-2004. Crop load was manipulated with fruit thinning in 2003 to produce trees that were de-fruited, commercially thinned or full crop, and half of the trees in each cropping treatment had all current year epicormic sprouts removed at the time of fruit thinning. Yield was recorded and trunk and root carbohydrates were sampled to confirm the effect of 2003 crop load differences on tissue carbohydrate concentration. All current-season vegetative-shoot extension growth was harvested from half of the trees in each treatment in the autumn of 2003 and from the other half in the autumn of 2004. Epicormic, long and short shoots were separately evaluated for dry weight, node number and leaf-stem parameters. KEY RESULTS: In 2003, long-shoot dry weight and node number were significantly affected by crop load; however, short-shoot dry weight and node number were not significantly affected. The 2003 crop-load treatments did not affect 2004 vegetative growth of any shoot type. Some re-growth of epicormic shoots followed early epicormic sprout removal: by the end of the 2003 season, trees in the early shoot-removal treatment had approximately one-third of the epicormic-shoot dry weight as unpruned trees. CONCLUSIONS: Fruit thinning promoted distribution of growth similar to that of de-fruited trees. While thinning was effective in increasing fruit size, it exacerbated the problem of epicormic sprouting. Early epicormic sprout removal did not stimulate the excessive epicormic re-growth in the same or subsequent year relative to previously studied summer pruning methods.     

The effect of partial flower removal on the relation betwen root, shootand fruti growth in the indeterminate tomato

The root, vegetative shoot and fruit growth of November and January sown glasshouse tomato plants grown in flowing water culture was followed over 6–7 months. The relationship between vegetative and reproductive growth was examined after two-thirds of the flowers were removed from half the experimental plants. This resulted in larger plants which had fewer, larger fruits and eventually a fruit yield almost as large as the controls. In the control plants, fruit growth increased steadily until it reached 90% of the total incremental fresh weight of the plant 50–60 days after first anthesis. Leaf growth was markedly depressed at this stage and root growth ceased 4 wk after anthesis. Some root death was observed from anthesis onwards. When fruit growth subsequently diminished, vegetative growth recovered but to a lower rate than before fruiting commenced. Following partial flower removal, only 64% or less of the total increment of fresh weight went into the fruit. Although vegetative growth at this stage was thus greater than in the control plants, both shoot and root growth followed the same qualitative pattern with time. The ratio of vegetative shoot to root fresh weight remained essentially constant throughout the fruiting phase in plants of both sowings whether flowers were removed or not. This suggests that the fruit grew in competition with the vegetative organs as a whole, although, for a short period at early fruiting, root growth was more seriously affected. The pattern and amount of fruiting in this indeterminate plant was influenced by the size of the vegetative organs at fruiting, and by the effect of the existing developing fruit on further vegetative and reproductive growth.     

Facilitation by nurse shrubs of resprouting behavior in a post-fire shrubland in northern Patagonia,Argentina

Abstract. The nurse-plant syndrome is a widely recognized example of positive (facilitative) influences of plant species on the establishment and growth of other species. Most studies of the nurse-plant syndrome have been on species that reproduce mainly from seed rather than vegetatively. In this study, we experimentally compared the influences of two species of nurse shrubs, Schinus patagonicus and Berberis buxifolia, on the survival and growth of vegetatively reproducing herbaceous and woody plants in a post-fire shrubland in northern Patagonia, Argentina. The vegetation beneath shrubs was removed by clipping and, in a paired-sample design, one half of the canopy of each shrub was removed. We determined species richness, counted number of resprouts, and measured photon flux density and soil moisture beneath cut and uncut halves of each shrubs. Abundances of resprouts were several times greater beneath the uncut vs. the cut shrubs, as was the mean number of species. Thus, shrubs have a strong facilitating influence as measured by resprout densities and the number of species. Numbers of resprouts and of species were twice as high beneath Schinus as beneath Berberis, implying important differences in the facilitative effects of the two shrubs species. Microsites beneath Schinus were characterized by lower and more heterogeneous light levels but by greater soil moisture. Even though the reproductive mode in this post-fire shrubland is overwhelmingly vegetative, facilitation by nurse shrubs is important and differentially effective for different species of nurse shrubs.     

Grazing tolerance of Gentianella amarella and other monocarpic herbs: why is tolerance highest at low damage levels?

Plants have adapted to compensate for the loss of vegetative biomass and reproductive potential caused by grazing. Shoot damage breaks down the correlative inhibition maintained by apical dominance. The consequent increased branching may lead to increased production of flowers and fruits in damaged plants, provided that enough resources, both in terms of meristems and nutrients, are available. In Gentianella amarella, the removal of the apex of the main stem (10% clipping) had no pronounced effect on branching and plant performance. In one of the two study populations, however, apically damaged plants produced more fruits than undamaged control plants. The plants also fully compensated for 50% removal of the main stem in terms of above-ground biomass, but their fruit production was reduced compared to control and apically damaged plants. After 75% clipping, fruit production was not significantly reduced compared to 50% clipping. Consequently, G. amarella showed highest tolerance in the presence of minor shoot damage. The pattern is qualitatively similar in some other monocarpic species (Gentianella campestris, Erysimum strictum and Rhinanthus minor). Multiple constraints as well as selective forces may shape these compensatory responses: (1) A lack of basal meristems may constrain tolerance of high damage levels. (2) Species with basal meristems may have a potential to tolerate major damage, but a shortage of resources or otherwise unfavourable growth conditions may constrain their compensatory ability. (3) It may be adaptive to have maximum tolerance of low and moderate damage levels if chemical defences reduce the risk of extensive shoot damage as well as the risk of repeated grazing. (4) The compensatory ability of monocarpic species may be affected by selective forces that favour fast vertical growth early in the season and unbranched architecture in undamaged conditions. Therefore, it is not the mere grazing history, but also other factors associated with growth conditions that are required to explain the variation in grazing tolerance.