Reproductive allocation of biomass and nitrogen in annual and perennial Lesquerella crops

* BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The use of perennial crops could contribute to increase agricultural sustainability. However, almost all of the major grain crops are herbaceous annuals and opportunities to replace them with more long-lived perennials have been poorly explored. This follows the presumption that the perennial life cycle is associated with a lower potential yield, due to a reduced allocation of biomass to grains. The hypothesis was tested that allocation to perpetuation organs in the perennial L. mendocina would not be directly related to a lower allocation to seeds. * METHODS: Two field experiments were carried on with the annual Lesquerella fendleri and the iteroparous perennial L. mendocina, two promising oil-seed crops for low-productivity environments, subjected to different water and nitrogen availability. * KEY RESULTS: Seed biomass allocation was similar for both species, and unresponsive to water and nitrogen availability. Greater root and vegetative shoot allocation in the perennial was counterbalanced by a lower allocation to other reproductive structures compared with the annual Lesquerella. Allometric relationships revealed that allocation differences between the annual and the perennial increased linearly with plant size. The general allocation patterns for nitrogen did not differ from those of biomass. However, nitrogen concentrations were higher in the vegetative shoot and root of L. mendocina than of L. fendleri but remained stable in seeds of both species. * CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that vegetative organs are more hierarchically important sinks in L. mendocina than in the annual L. fendleri, but without disadvantages in seed hierarchy.     

Costs of reproduction in life history of a perennial plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carex secalina</Emphasis>

We tested a hypothesis based on life history theory that examines reproductive costs incurred by individuals in consecutive years of their life. A multi-year dataset of resource allocation to vegetative and reproductive structures was analysed in Carex secalina — a perennial, monoecious sedge, reproducing only sexually. In a four-year garden experiment, we assessed above-ground biomass at the end of each season and reproductive allocation expressed as the total length of male and female spikes. The study was aimed at determining how size and age of a plant relates to its reproduction, and how the rate of reproduction affects the year-toyear biomass change in Carex secalina. We observed that after each reproductive episode, individuals had significantly smaller sizes and produced a lower number of generative tillers. The total production of reproductive structures decreased significantly with age in all populations. Moreover, the decrease in plant biomass was greater when more reproductive structures were produced in a previous year, which indicates that the plants incur costs of reproduction in terms of above-ground biomass production.     

新疆郁金香营养生长、个体大小和开花次序对繁殖分配的影响

植物有性繁殖与资源分配的关系研究对于揭示植物生活史特征及繁育系统进化具有重要意义。新疆郁金香(Tulipa sinkiangensis)是新疆天山北坡荒漠带特有的一种多年生早春短命植物。在自然生境中,该物种仅以有性繁殖产生后代,每株能产生1-8朵花,且不同植株上的花数及果实数以及花序不同位置上的花与果实大小明显不同。本文通过对新疆郁金香有性繁殖与营养生长及植株大小的关系以及花序中不同位置花及果实间的资源分配研究,旨在揭示营养生长、个体大小及开花次序对其繁殖分配的影响。结果表明:在开花和果实成熟阶段,新疆郁金香植株分配给营养器官(鳞茎和地上营养器官)与繁殖器官的资源间均存在极显著的负相关关系(P<0.01),说明其植株的营养生长与生殖生长间存在权衡关系。多花是新疆郁金香的一个稳定性状,其植株上花数目、花生物量、果实生物量和种子数量与植株生物量间均呈极显著的正相关关系(P<0.01),说明新疆郁金香植株的繁殖分配存在大小依赖性。在具2-5朵花的新疆郁金香植株中,花序内各花的生物量、花粉数和胚珠数、结实率、果实生物量、结籽数、结籽率及种子百粒重按其开花顺序依次递减,说明花序内各花和果实的资源分配符合资源竞争假说。植株通过减少晚发育的花或果实获得的资源来保障早发育的花或果实获得较多的资源,从而达到繁殖成功。     

Biomass Allocation in the Dioecious Tropical Palm Chamaedorea tepejilote and Its Life History Consequences

Abstract The patterns of resource allocation are described for a dioecious tropical palm, Chamaedorea tepejilote. Resource allocation was measured by harvesting fifteen plants of C. tepejilote. The relative allocation of biomass in the stem increased with the size of the plant; that in the leaves decreased and that in the other structures remained roughly constant. Female plants showed a greater total reproductive effort, though male plants produced more inflorescences during the flowering season. Both male and female plants allocated more resources to prop root than to hypogeal roots. The annual productivity of reproductive and vegetative parts of C. tepejilote was estimated using allometric relationships for different plant structures and from demographic data obtained from the field. Annually, female plants allocated significantly more resources to leaves than male plants. Yearly productivity of inflorescences was higher for male plants, while female plants had greater total reproductive productivity (inflorescences and fruits). Correlation analysis showed an increase in reproductive effort with plant size, and an inverse relationship between fecundity and probability of survival, fecundity and residual reproductive value, and reproductive effort and life expectancy; these relationships suggested a cost in reproduction. Additionally, mature plants with different growth rates exhibited differences in fecundity: tall plants (>2.5m height) that grew more than 40 cm in height in four years had lower values of fecundity in comparison to plants of slower growth. These data were discussed in the context of the implications in the life history of a dioecious tropical plant.     

Variation in biomass allocation of Nitraria tangutorum during different phenological phases

植物生物量的分配模式是植物对环境适应的结果, 并伴随着植物生活史的每一个阶段, 与植物的生长和发育息息相关。目前关于植物生物量分配的大小依赖性已有相关报道, 但关于其对物候期的响应尚鲜有报道。该研究以乌兰布和沙漠地区白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)为研究对象, 通过对其2016与2017年连续2个生长季里盛花期、盛果期与营养生长期3个物候期的根、压条、新枝、老枝、叶、繁殖器官等部分的生物量测定, 采用标准化主轴回归方程的斜率和截距的显著性比较, 分别探讨了白刺在不同物候期的异速生长的大小依赖程度和相对生物量分配比例, 特别是地上与地下部分之间、支持与同化器官之间, 在不同物候期的生物量分配规律。结果表明: 白刺的繁殖生长对生物量分配模式造成的影响主要体现在相对生物量分配比例(36.00%)而不是个体大小的依赖性程度上(16.67%), 且对新枝的影响较大, 使其不同物候期的大小依赖性程度发生了改变, 但是变化趋势不一致, 同时繁殖生长增加对叶片的相对生物量分配比例, 减少对老枝的相对生物量分配比例, 但并没有改变他们的大小依赖性程度。白刺生长过程中的地下部分生物量分配率随个体生物量的累积均增大, 而繁殖分配会在一定程度内减弱这种速率。白刺随着个体生物量的增大其生物量向支持器官分配率也越大, 但随着生长时间推移, 更倾向于将生物量分配给同化吸收器官。     

Drought effect on plant biomass allocation: A meta‐analysis

Drought is one of the abiotic stresses controlling plant function and ecological stability. In the context of climate change, drought is predicted to occur more frequently in the future. Despite numerous attempts to clarify the overall effects of drought stress on the growth and physiological processes of plants, a comprehensive evaluation on the impacts of drought stress on biomass allocation, especially on reproductive tissues, remains elusive. We conducted a meta‐analysis by synthesizing 164 published studies to elucidate patterns of plant biomass allocation in relation to drought stress. Results showed that drought significantly increased the fraction of root mass but decreased that of stem, leaf, and reproductive mass. Roots of herbaceous plants were more sensitive to drought than woody plants that reduced reproductive allocation more sharply than the former. Relative to herbaceous plants, drought had a more negative impact on leaf mass fraction of woody plants. Among the herbaceous plants, roots of annuals responded to drought stress more strongly than perennial herbs, but their reproductive allocation was less sensitive to drought than the perennial herbs. In addition, cultivated and wild plants seemed to respond to drought stress in a similar way. Drought stress did not change the scaling exponents of the allometric relationship between different plant tissues. These findings suggest that the allometric partitioning theory, rather than the optimal partitioning theory, better explains the drought‐induced changes in biomass allocation strategies.     

沙质草地不同生活史植物的生物量分配对氮素和水分添加的响应

以氮素和水分(冬季增雪和夏季增雨)为控制因子, 开展相关田间控制实验, 分析不同功能群(以生活史为划分依据)尺度和群落尺度植物生物量分配格局对氮素和水分的响应, 得出以下结论: 1)一年生植物的繁殖生物量比重明显高于多年生植物, 而多年生植物种的叶/地上生物量比值显著高于一年生植物; 2)一年生植物对氮素和水分添加的响应剧烈, 氮添加耦合夏季增雨、氮添加耦合冬季增雪显著增加了一年生植物的繁殖生物量比重和叶生物量比重。多年生植物对氮素和水分添加的响应不敏感, 表现为多年生植物的各器官生物量分配格局对氮素添加和水分添加的响应不明显。3)氮素添加和水分处理改变了群落尺度生物量分配格局: 氮素添加耦合冬季增雪处理降低了群落植物的繁殖生物量比重和茎生物量比重, 提高了群落植物的叶生物量比重。4)冬季增雪和夏季增雨与氮素添加的交互作用对群落生物量分配格局的改变不同。夏季增雨耦合氮素添加处理下群落的茎生物量比重显著提高, 群落茎生物量分配的改变引起群落的垂直结构发生改变。冬季增雪氮素处理下群落的叶生物量比重增加, 但茎生物量比重增加不明显。冬季增雪也改变了群落的结构和功能。     

白刺不同物候期的生物量分配规律

植物生物量的分配模式是植物对环境适应的结果, 并伴随着植物生活史的每一个阶段, 与植物的生长和发育息息相关。目前关于植物生物量分配的大小依赖性已有相关报道, 但关于其对物候期的响应尚鲜有报道。该研究以乌兰布和沙漠地区白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)为研究对象, 通过对其2016与2017年连续2个生长季里盛花期、盛果期与营养生长期3个物候期的根、压条、新枝、老枝、叶、繁殖器官等部分的生物量测定, 采用标准化主轴回归方程的斜率和截距的显著性比较, 分别探讨了白刺在不同物候期的异速生长的大小依赖程度和相对生物量分配比例, 特别是地上与地下部分之间、支持与同化器官之间, 在不同物候期的生物量分配规律。结果表明: 白刺的繁殖生长对生物量分配模式造成的影响主要体现在相对生物量分配比例(36.00%)而不是个体大小的依赖性程度上(16.67%), 且对新枝的影响较大, 使其不同物候期的大小依赖性程度发生了改变, 但是变化趋势不一致, 同时繁殖生长增加对叶片的相对生物量分配比例, 减少对老枝的相对生物量分配比例, 但并没有改变他们的大小依赖性程度。白刺生长过程中的地下部分生物量分配率随个体生物量的累积均增大, 而繁殖分配会在一定程度内减弱这种速率。白刺随着个体生物量的增大其生物量向支持器官分配率也越大, 但随着生长时间推移, 更倾向于将生物量分配给同化吸收器官。     

Altitudinal Variations in Reproductive Allocation of Bergenia purpurascens (Saxifragaceae)

The strategy of resource allocation between vegetative and reproductive functions, quantitative relationship between size and reproductive output are central aspects of plant life history. To test the tactics of resource allocation and its altitudinal trend, we examined the reproductive allocation (RA) of Bergenia purpurascens (Saxifragaceae), in six populations along a shady slope in Sejila Mountain of southeast Tibet, at an altitude gradient from 4 200 m to 4 640 m. Our results showed that (1) with increasing altitude, vegetative biomass, reproductive biomass, total aboveground biomass, flower number per plant and length of flower stalk decreased significantly, but the number of leaves did not change greatly. However, the change of RA did not show a monotonic trend when altitude increased, shifting from significantly decreasing below the tree line to slightly increasing above it; (2) vegetative biomass was positively correlated with reproductive biomass, but negatively correlated with RA in all populations, but the level of significance was different among the populations; (3) RA decreased with individual size in all populations, whereas the relationship between absolute resource allocated to reproduction and individual size was allometric; (4) reproductive allometry and a size threshold for reproduction did exist in this alpine perennial, but the obvious altitudinal trend was only found along the populations below the tree line, not above it. We then concluded the altitude could not fully explain the change of resource allocation strategy of this alpine perennial, and different effects of size and habitat on RA may result from various environmental constraints along the altitudinal gradient or genetic background. Therefore, each individual within a population will follow its own developmental trajectory shaped by its genotype and the habitats. The most innovative finding was plant adaptation and resource trade off might be sharply altered at the tree line, which is a sensitive area in alpine mountains. Further investigations are needed to better understand the relationship between the reproductive allocation and changing environmental conditions.     

Effects of waterlogging and increased soil nutrients on growth and reproduction of Polygonum hydropiper in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region

水淹和土壤养分是影响三峡库区消落带植物生长的主要环境因子。消落带不同高程的植物长期经历不同的淹水强度和土壤养分条件。该研究假设同一物种来自于消落带不同高程的植株可能产生性状分化, 从而对根部淹水和土壤养分变化具有不同的生长和繁殖响应策略。为了验证以上假设, 选取在三峡库区消落带高低高程均广泛分布的物种水蓼(Polygonum hydropiper)为研究对象, 采集自然种群的种子。在温室同质园条件下, 研究了根部水淹和土壤养分提升对高低高程水蓼植株生长和繁殖特性的影响。研究结果表明根部水淹显著或趋于显著降低了水蓼植株功能叶的叶长、叶宽、总分枝数、叶生物量、花生物量和总生物量; 低养分处理显著或趋于显著降低了水蓼植株的总节数、总分枝数、根生物量、花生物量和总生物量, 表明根部水淹和低土壤养分对水蓼的生长和繁殖能力具有抑制作用。同时, 根部水淹和土壤养分的交互作用显著影响植株的根生物量, 表明根部水淹条件下高土壤养分更有利于植株根生物量的积累。高高程植株的根生物量和叶生物量显著或趋于显著高于低高程植株, 而低高程植株的始花时间早于高高程植株, 且繁殖分配也显著高于高高程植株, 表明高低高程水蓼植株对资源的分配策略不同。该研究结果表明水蓼的生长和繁殖特性受根部水淹和土壤养分共同限制, 但对根部水淹条件下高土壤养分生境具有较好的适应性; 同时, 低高程植株可以通过调整其生长和繁殖特性以提高对所处生境胁迫的适应性。     

Changes in individual plant traits and biomass allocation in alpine meadow with elevation variation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Plant traits and individual plant biomass allocation of 57 perennial herbaceous species, belonging to three common functional groups (forbs, grasses and sedges) at subalpine (3700 m ASL), alpine (4300 m ASL) and subnival (⩾5000 m ASL) sites were examined to test the hypothesis that at high altitudes, plants reduce the proportion of aboveground parts and allocate more biomass to belowground parts, especially storage organs, as altitude increases, so as to geminate and resist environmental stress. However, results indicate that some divergence in biomass allocation exists among organs. With increasing altitude, the mean fractions of total biomass allocated to aboveground parts decreased. The mean fractions of total biomass allocation to storage organs at the subalpine site (7%±2% S.E.) were distinct from those at the alpine (23%±6%) and subnival (21%±6%) sites, while the proportions of green leaves at all altitudes remained almost constant. At 4300 m and 5000 m, the mean fractions of flower stems decreased by 45% and 41%, respectively, while fine roots increased by 86% and 102%, respectively. Specific leaf areas and leaf areas of forbs and grasses deceased with rising elevation, while sedges showed opposite trends. For all three functional groups, leaf area ratio and leaf area root mass ratio decreased, while fine root biomass increased at higher altitudes. Biomass allocation patterns of alpine plants were characterized by a reduction in aboveground reproductive organs and enlargement of fine roots, while the proportion of leaves remained stable. It was beneficial for high altitude plants to compensate carbon gain and nutrient uptake under low temperature and limited nutrients by stabilizing biomass investment to photosynthetic structures and increasing the absorption surface area of fine roots. In contrast to forbs and grasses that had high mycorrhizal infection, sedges had higher single leaf area and more root fraction, especially fine roots.     

根部水淹和土壤养分提升对三峡库区消落带水蓼生长和繁殖特性的影响

水淹和土壤养分是影响三峡库区消落带植物生长的主要环境因子。消落带不同高程的植物长期经历不同的淹水强度和土壤养分条件。该研究假设同一物种来自于消落带不同高程的植株可能产生性状分化, 从而对根部淹水和土壤养分变化具有不同的生长和繁殖响应策略。为了验证以上假设, 选取在三峡库区消落带高低高程均广泛分布的物种水蓼(Polygonum hydropiper)为研究对象, 采集自然种群的种子。在温室同质园条件下, 研究了根部水淹和土壤养分提升对高低高程水蓼植株生长和繁殖特性的影响。研究结果表明根部水淹显著或趋于显著降低了水蓼植株功能叶的叶长、叶宽、总分枝数、叶生物量、花生物量和总生物量; 低养分处理显著或趋于显著降低了水蓼植株的总节数、总分枝数、根生物量、花生物量和总生物量, 表明根部水淹和低土壤养分对水蓼的生长和繁殖能力具有抑制作用。同时, 根部水淹和土壤养分的交互作用显著影响植株的根生物量, 表明根部水淹条件下高土壤养分更有利于植株根生物量的积累。高高程植株的根生物量和叶生物量显著或趋于显著高于低高程植株, 而低高程植株的始花时间早于高高程植株, 且繁殖分配也显著高于高高程植株, 表明高低高程水蓼植株对资源的分配策略不同。该研究结果表明水蓼的生长和繁殖特性受根部水淹和土壤养分共同限制, 但对根部水淹条件下高土壤养分生境具有较好的适应性; 同时, 低高程植株可以通过调整其生长和繁殖特性以提高对所处生境胁迫的适应性。     

青藏高原东缘野生暗紫贝母生物量分配格局对高山生态环境的适应

从时空尺度研究了青藏高原东缘野生暗紫贝母(Fritillaria unibracteata)生物量分配特征对高山环境条件的生态适应。通过海拔梯度、群落类型、群落盖度、群落透光率4个变量的分析, 间接探讨了高山环境条件下水分、热量、光照和土壤养分等主要环境因子对暗紫贝母生物量分配的影响, 并主要研究了海拔梯度这一综合要素的生态效应。同时, 从时间尺度上研究了暗紫贝母不同生活史阶段的生物量分配模式, 以期了解不同发育阶段高山植物对于环境要素的适应特征。研究结果表明: 1)在一定的空间范围内, 4个环境变量中仅海拔梯度对暗紫贝母单株鳞茎生物量及总生物量的影响差异显著, 且生物量积累随海拔升高而减小。2)在空间尺度上, 海拔梯度为野生暗紫贝母生长的主要限制因子, 表明在高山地区热量条件对植物生长具有明显的制约作用, 同时不同生活史阶段的暗紫贝母其生物量分配模式对海拔梯度的响应也存在着一定的差异。2年生贝母的鳞茎生物量分配随海拔升高而降低, 叶生物量分配随之增加。3年生和4年生贝母鳞茎及叶生物量分配在不同海拔梯度上比较稳定, 而茎生物量分配随海拔升高而降低, 有性生殖(花)分配则随之而增加。各生活史阶段植株根生物量在不同海拔梯度上分配稳定。3)在时间尺度上, 不同生活史阶段贝母生物量分配模式存在显著差异。根和茎生物量分配随生活史阶段的增加而显著增加, 而鳞茎和叶生物量分配则随之显著减少。单株鳞茎生物量在3年生阶段达到最大。     

不同生长阶段苘麻生物量分配对种群密度和土壤水分的响应

通过研究不同生长阶段下植物生物量分配对土壤水分和种群密度的响应,揭示植物同时应对生物与非生物环境因子的策略。本研究在田间条件下对1年生草本植物苘麻（Abutilon theophrasti）进行加水和对照2种水分处理,每种处理下进行低、中、高3种种植密度处理,分别在生长20、50 d时测量植物根、茎、叶片、叶柄和繁殖（花和果实）生物量,探讨在不同生长阶段苘麻生物量分配如何响应于密度和水分。结果表明：植物生长20 d时,在加水处理中,与低密度相比,中密度提高了根生物量比率19.4%和根冠比21.5%,降低了叶生物量比率34.4%;未加水处理（对照）中生物量分配对密度的响应不显著;50 d时,对照处理下,高密度相对于低密度降低了总生物量63.5%,2种水分处理下高密度都降低了根冠比和根生物量比率,提高了茎生物量比率,不影响总生物量和其他器官生物量分配。结果说明施加水分前期更容易促进根生物量分配对密度的积极响应（增大）,后期减缓高密度对总生物量的不利影响（降低）。生物量分配对密度的响应取决于种内相互作用的强度,早期适中水平的相互作用更容易产生地下促进作用,促进根部的积极响应。中密度下适中的种...     

DIFFERENCES IN BIOMASS ALLOCATION TO REPRODUCTIVE AND VEGETATIVE STRUCTURES OF MALE AND FEMALE PLANTS OF A DIOECIOUS,PERENNIAL HERB,SILENE ALBA (MILLER) KRAUSE

The pattern of biomass allocation of males and females and the sex ratio and growth characteristics of plants from three seed-size classes in Silene alba were investigated in a greenhouse study. Seed size significantly affected adult plant size and flower production of both male and female plants, but there was no significant difference in the proportion of males and females emerging in three seed-size categories. Male and female plants differed in the proportion of total biomass allocated to vegetative and reproductive structures and these differences were consistent across all seed-size categories. Males allocated a greater proportion of their biomass to flowers than did females. Female reproductive effort was dependent upon the percentage of flowers producing mature capsules. Only females with greater than 20% fruit set have a higher reproductive expenditure than males. Consequently, female expenditure is potentially greater than males, but is spread out over a longer portion of the growing season. This difference in the timing of reproductive expenditures by males and females allows females to allocate more biomass to growth during the early flowering period and may therefore account for the common pattern in herbaceous perennial dioecious species in which adult females are larger than adult males.     

展毛翠雀花期繁殖特征和生物量分配对放牧的响应

生物量分配影响植物生长和繁殖,是植物生活史研究的重要内容。为了了解植物生活史性状对放牧的响应,该研究以青藏高原高寒草甸毒杂草展毛翠雀为对象,分析了放牧干扰对展毛翠雀的花期繁殖分配和性分配的影响。结果表明:放牧显著降低了展毛翠雀的总生物量、个体大小和繁殖投入; 放牧未改变展毛翠雀的营养部分与繁殖部分的等速生长关系,但显著增加了繁殖部分的生物量分配和总花数; 展毛翠雀的个体大小与总花数呈显著的正相关关系,但与性分配呈显著的负相关关系; 展毛翠雀的总花数与单花大小、单花的花瓣比例均表现出负相关关系,表明总花数与单花大小之间、总花数与单花的花瓣比例之间均存在权衡。因此,在放牧条件下,展毛翠雀的繁殖分配和性分配均表现出显著的可塑性。     

角果藜的生长动态及其生殖配置

通过对角果藜(Ceratocarpus arenarius L.)的地上与地下部分生长动态以及生物量配置进行研究,结合其生活周期内土壤含水量变化规律,分析了角果藜的生态适应对策。结果表明:①角果藜植株高度生长速率随时间变化呈"增加—减缓—增加"的模式,而根的生长速率呈"逐渐减缓"的模式。角果藜株高、垂直根的生长速率变化同土壤水分的变化密切相关。②地上部分生物量在5月果实初形成时期和8月至9月的果实成熟期形成两个高峰值。地下部分生物量在3月至5月增长缓慢,随后以最大增长速率迅速达到地下生物量的最大值。角果藜地上、地下生物量的积累动态体现了其与季节变化相吻合的生长发育特点。③具有地上地下结果性的角果藜的生殖配置高达40%以上,高于一次结实的草本植物的生殖投入。这些特性是角果藜适应荒漠生境生长策略选择的综合表现。     

Sexual differences in biomass and nutrient allocation of first-year Silene dioica plants

Reproductive and somatic biomass, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) pools were compared between females and males in 1st-year plants of Silene dioica. We estimated irretrievable resources allocated to seeds, pollen, flowers, and unrecovered summer leaf investment by collecting plant parts at abscission throughout the season. At the end of the season, we determined resources lost through senescent stems and autumn leaf turnover and resources stored in perennial roots and overwintering buds. Sexual differences in allocation patterns depended on the resource used for comparison, and whether absolute or proportional resource pools were assessed. Total resource pools in terms of biomass and N were similar for females and males. However, male plants acquired relatively more P. The proportional reproductive investment, i.e., reproductive effort, was similar for males and females in terms of biomass and N. In terms of P, male reproductive effort was higher. There was no difference between sexes in the proportional and relative biomass allocated to perennial roots and overwintering buds. However, in terms of absolute and relative N allocation to below-ground parts, females had larger reserves than males. Females, moreover, had a larger proportion of their P in below-ground parts. However, as male total P pools were larger, absolute P reserves did not differ between sexes. The high reproductive effort and N depletion of below-ground parts in males resulted largely from higher flower production compared to females. In females, seeds were the major component of reproductive effort. These results show that if biomass and nutrient allocation are assessed in parallel for dioecious plants, we obtain a more complete view of their sexual differences. Received: 07 May 1998 / Accepted: 30 October 1998     

川西风毛菊果期资源分配对海拔的响应

以分布于青藏高原东缘的川西风毛菊为试验材料,研究了其不同海拔高度16个居群的果期资源分配。结果显示:1)随着海拔的升高,个体大小、繁殖器官生物量、营养器官生物量、根系质量、茎叶质量以及每株植物种子总数量均不断减小,但种子百粒重不断增加;2)繁殖分配和根系分配与海拔呈正相关关系,营养分配和茎叶分配与海拔呈负相关关系;3)果期繁殖分配和营养分配、根系分配和茎叶分配以及种子数量与百粒重之间均存在资源分配上的权衡。研究结论:1)海拔作为外界因子对川西风毛菊果期各生物量及资源分配有显著的影响;2)随着海拔的升高,川西风毛菊通过增加繁殖分配,根系分配以及种子百粒重来适应胁迫环境,提高自身的适合度。     

Optimal resource allocation in perennial plants: A continuous-time model

A continuous-time model, similar to W. M. Schaffer's (1983, Amer. Nat. 121, 418–431), of growth and reproduction for a perennial herb with discrete growing seasons is considered. Assuming that metabolic rates of reproductive and storage structures are equal, it was possible, through the reduction of the continuous model to a discrete one, to find the optimal allocations to the vegetative, reproductive, and reserve structures. The main feature of the optimal strategy is the existence of an optimal reserve size. The allocation to vegetative structures is, every growing season, the allocation which maximizes the total of reproductive and reserve structures at the end of the season. The relative allocation between reserve and reproductive structures is given, when reproductive success is a linear function of investment, by the fastest growth to the optimal size: no reproduction until the optimal size is reached, and, afterwards, allocation to reproduction of everything beyond what is needed to maintain size R*. Asymptotic growth to the equilibrium and cycles are possible, when reproductive success is a nonlinear function of investment (A. Pugliese, 1988, in “Biomathematics and Related Computational Problems” (L. M. Ricciardi, Ed.), Reidel, Dordrecht, to appear). It has therefore been possible to solve the “general life history problem” ( Schaffer, 1983) when growth is in general a concave function of body size. In the Discussion discrete and continuous-time models are compared; if the real dynamics is described by a continuous model of the type analyzed here, life history predictions made by analyzing the system with a discrete model are upheld.