How past and present influence the foraging of clonal plants?

Clonal plants spreading horizontally and forming a network structure of ramets exhibit complex growth patterns to maximize resource uptake from the environment. They respond to spatial heterogeneity by changing their internode length or branching frequency. Ramets definitively root in the soil but stay interconnected for a varying period of time thus allowing an exchange of spatial and temporal information. We quantified the foraging response of clonal plants depending on the local soil quality sampled by the rooting ramet (i.e. the present information) and the resource variability sampled by the older ramets (i.e. the past information). We demonstrated that two related species, Potentilla reptans and P. anserina, responded similarly to the local quality of their environment by decreasing their internode length in response to nutrient-rich soil. Only P. reptans responded to resource variability by decreasing its internode length. In both species, the experience acquired by older ramets influenced the plastic response of new rooted ramets: the internode length between ramets depended not only on the soil quality locally sampled but also on the soil quality previously sampled by older ramets. We quantified the effect of the information perceived at different time and space on the foraging behavior of clonal plants by showing a non-linear response of the ramet rooting in the soil of a given quality. These data suggest that the decision to grow a stolon or to root a ramet at a given distance from the older ramet results from the integration of the past and present information about the richness and the variability of the environment.     

Strawberry plant relationship through the stolon

Stolon is an elongated, two-node, vegetative, axillary shoot, which supports the ramet (rooted rosette) until it is completely independent on its own roots. The reciprocal capacity of the ramets, in a single runner chain, to sustain the growth and share locally abundant resources or to tolerate a local stress, is still in debate. This capacity may play an important role for improving nursery plant production and for better understanding the natural clonal multiplication. To describe strawberry stolon action, in plant-to-plant relationship, bare-rooted Camarosa ramets, joint in couples by their own stolons (generally, second and third ramet in a runner chain) were transplanted in two pots. The couples of ramets were treated in a factorial experiment with decortication (peeling a 2-mm ring of bark from the stolon), removal of root system or glyphosate application to one of the two ramets. In the studied system, the older ramet was referred as mother and the other as daughter. The two ramets were very similar in age and seem to act with a very limited hierarchic prevalence of the mother. When the root system of one ramet was eliminated, leaf number and chlorophyll content had a very slight decrease, independently in the mother ramet or in the daughter. The decortication did not reduce water integration, in any group of plants, but limited assimilate allocation towards the daughter ramet when the mother ramet had a severe root cut (not vice versa). The glyphosate action resulted localized in the sprayed ramet, which reduced chlorophyll content within 2 days and expired after 4 days.     

Differential effects of water depth and sediment type on clonal growth of the submersed macrophyte <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vallisneria natans</Emphasis>

The response of clonal growth and ramet morphology to water depth (from 60 to 260 cm) and sediment type (sand versus organic clay) was investigated for the stoloniferous submersed macrophyte Vallisneria natans in an outdoor pond experiment. Results showed that water depth significantly affected clonal growth of V. natans in terms of clone weight, number of ramets, number of generations, clonal radius and stolon length. V. natans showed an optimal clonal growth at water depths of 110–160 cm, but at greater depths clonal growth was severely retarded. A high allometric effect was exhibited in ramet morphology. Along the sequentially produced ramet generations, ramet weight and plant height decreased while stolon length and the root:leaf weight ratio increased. When using ramet generations as covariate, sediment type rather than water depth more strongly affected the ramet characteristics. For plants grown in clay, ramet weight, ramet height and stolon length were greater, and plants exhibited lower root:leaf weight ratio. These data suggest that water depth and sediment type have differential effects on clonal growth of V. natans: Water depth appears primarily to affect numerical increase in ramets and spatial spread, whereas sediment type mainly affects biomass accumulation and biomass allocation. Handling editor: S. M. Thomaz     

资源异质性环境中三种匍匐茎草本植物克隆内资源共享和分株功能特化

研究了3种来自中国北方林下、草地和碱化草甸匍匐茎型克隆草本植物绢毛匍匐委陵菜 (Potentilla reptans L. var. sericophylla Franch.)、鹅绒委陵菜 (P. anserina L.) 和金戴戴 (Halerpestes ruthenica (Jacq.) Qvcz.) 对由高光照低养分斑块和低光照高养分斑块组成的资源交互斑块性生境的适应性对策.当生长于高光照低养分条件下分株 (HL分株) 与生长于低光照高养分条件下分株 (LH分株) 之间的匍匐茎连接时, 3种克隆植物HL分株、LH分株以及整个分株对系统 (HL分株 + LH分株) 的生物量均得到显著提高.同时, LH分株根冠比显著增加, 而HL分株根冠比显著下降.这表明, 当互连分株置于由低光照高养分斑块和高光照低养分斑块组成的异质性环境中时, 3种植物克隆分株均发生了环境诱导的功能特化.克隆内资源共享以及克隆内不同分株的功能特化有利于整个分株系统对局部丰富资源的获取, 从而能够缓解资源交互斑块性生境对克隆植物的不利影响.     

资源异质性环境中三种匍匐茎草本植物克隆内资源共享和分株功能特化(英文)

研究了 3种来自中国北方林下、草地和碱化草甸匍匐茎型克隆草本植物绢毛匍匐委陵菜 (PotentillareptansL .var.sericophyllaFranch .)、鹅绒委陵菜 (P .anserinaL .)和金戴戴 (Halerpestesruthenica (Jacq .)Qvcz .)对由高光照低养分斑块和低光照高养分斑块组成的资源交互斑块性生境的适应性对策。当生长于高光照低养分条件下分株(HL分株 )与生长于低光照高养分条件下分株 (LH分株 )之间的匍匐茎连接时 ,3种克隆植物HL分株、LH分株以及整个分株对系统 (HL分株 LH分株 )的生物量均得到显著提高。同时 ,LH分株根冠比显著增加 ,而HL分株根冠比显著下降。这表明 ,当互连分株置于由低光照高养分斑块和高光照低养分斑块组成的异质性环境中时 ,3种植物克隆分株均发生了环境诱导的功能特化。克隆内资源共享以及克隆内不同分株的功能特化有利于整个分株系统对局部丰富资源的获取 ,从而能够缓解资源交互斑块性生境对克隆植物的不利影响     

Hydraulic conductivity and PAT determine hierarchical resource partitioning and ramet development along Fragaria stolons

Co-ordination of metabolic and physiological activity between plant parts is key to the control of growth and development. Here the movement of resources and their allocation between mother plants and daughter ramets along Fragaria stolons was quantified with respect to hierarchy. Gradients of internodal ramet leaf water potential (ψ) and stolon and ramet hydraulic conductivities (L) were measured together with apparent stolon IAA movement via the polar auxin transport pathway (PAT). These processes are linked with measurements of stolon vascular development. The pattern of tissue differentiation and lignification in sequential stele sections of stolons demonstrated the rapid acquisition of the capacity for water transport, with transpiration potentially varying systematically with stolon lignification and the acropetal decline in stolon xylem ψ. Stolon and ramet L declined acropetally, with L across older ramets being significantly lower than that of the connecting stolons. The capacity for polar IAA transport increased with stolon age; this was due to increased transport intensity in older tissues. The partitioning of dry matter was strongly hierarchical with younger ramets smaller than older ramets, while foliar concentrations of N, P, and K were greater for the younger ramets. The results show that stolon anatomy develops rapidly at the apical end, facilitating hierarchical ramet development, which is evident as a basipetal increase in L. The rapid development of transport tissue functionality enables young unrooted ramets to acquire water, in order to supply an expanding leaf area, as well as mineral ions disproportionally with respect to older ramets. This facilitates colonization and self-rooting of apical ramets. The unidirectional increase in basipetal PAT along stolons facilitates hierarchical ramet development.     

Effects of soil heterogeneity and clonal integration on Alternanthera philoxeroides populations with a radial ramet aggregation

Some clonal plants can spread their ramet populations radially, and soil heterogeneity and clonal integration may greatly affect the establishment of these types of populations. We constructed Alternanthera philoxeroides populations with a radial ramet aggregation, allowing old ramets of clonal fragments to concentrate in central pots and younger ramets to root in peripheral pots. The peripheral pots were supplemented either with three different levels (high, medium and low) of soil nutrients to simulate a heterogeneous soil environment, or only one medium level of soil nutrients to simulate a homogeneous environment. Stolon connections between the central older ramets and the peripheral younger ramets were left intact or severed to test the effect of clonal integration. The maintenance of stolon connection could induce the division of labor between different‐aged ramets, by increasing the root investment in central ramets and the above‐ground growth in peripheral ramets. The maintenance of stolon connection could improve the growth of the central and peripheral ramets, clonal fragments and even the whole population. However, the positive consequence in peripheral ramets and whole fragments was only detected in the high‐nutrient patch of heterogeneous treatment. In sum, in the population with the radial ramet aggregation, clonal integration can play a key role in the rapid recruitment of young ramets of A. philoxeroides fragments, as well as the expansion of the whole population. The magnitude of clonal integration also became more obvious in the peripheral young ramets and whole fragments that experienced high‐nutrient patches.     

Modelling the morphological response to nutrient availability in the clonal plant Trientalis europaea L.

The morphological responses to changes in environmental quality shown by many clonal plants have been interpreted as an expression of foraging behaviour, as they allow the ramets to become concentrated in more favourable microhabitats. The morphological response to increased nutrient availability in the pseudoannual plant Trientalis europaea was studied in a field experiment. The response was largely size-dependent and consistent with enhanced clonal growth. Fertilized ramets produced more tubers and a larger main tuber. In contrast, stolon length was not affected by the treatment. A spatially explicit simulation model calibrated with data from the field experiment examined the population dynamics of T. europaea ramets in a spatially hetereogeneous, temporally constant, environment. The model showed that T. europaea was effective at concentrating its ramets in favourable patches, but this process was strongly influenced by patch size. The analysis of this response at the clone level showed that ramet aggregation was mainly due to the enhanced performance of clones located initially in the favourable patches, or clones that located a favourable patch by chance. In these clones, the simultaneous increase of ramet size and survival accelerated the production of ramets. The temporal and spatial scale at which the aggregation of ramets in favourable patches was manifested suggests that the effectiveness of the morphological response in T. europaea is favoured by a high spatio-temporal predictability in the environment. Overall, the model emphasized the important role of population dynamics in understanding the nature of the foraging response.     

Shade avoidance in the clonal herb Trifolium fragiferum/: a field study with experimentally manipulated vegetation height

In herbaceous canopies light availability can show high degrees of spatial variability in a vertical and also in a horizontal direction. Stoloniferous plants are hence likely to encounter differences in light availability during their ontogenetic development. Different mechanisms, such as petiole elongation, plasticity in internode length and branching, and an enhanced allocation to sexual reproduction have been suggested to represent viable shade-avoidance mechanisms for clonal plants.In a field experiment we tested the response of the stoloniferous herb Trifolium fragiferum L. to experimentally manipulated vegetation heights. Naturally occurring clonal fragments were exposed to four different vegetation heights ranging from 0 cm (high light availability created by clipping the surrounding natural vegetation at ground level) to 20 cm (natural shading in closed canopy). The growth and development of individual clones was followed for two months. At the end of the experiment above-ground plant parts were harvested. Growth-related and morphological parameters (e.g., petiole and internode length) as well as patterns of meristem utilization (i.e., flowering, branching) were recorded.Neither primary stolon growth and biomass accumulation nor branching and flowering were significantly affected by treatments. However, increased vegetation height resulted in a reduced number of secondary ramets and also had strong positive effects on petiole length, leading to marked changes in the architecture of plants growing in canopies of different heights. In addition, the average weight of individual ramets on the primary stolon was markedly higher in plants exposed to taller vegetation as compared to shorter vegetation.The results of this study suggest the occurrence of a trade-off between clonal expansion (i.e., secondary ramet production) and the average size of clonal offspring. If grown under higher vegetation plants invested more into the size of individual ramets, especially into elongating petioles, and less into the growth and development of lateral branches. Placing leaf laminae higher up in the canopy results in an enhanced light interception which has apparently buffered negative effects of increased vegetation height on whole-clone biomass. Plants grown under shorter vegetation invested more into lateral spread by producing more, but smaller ramets.     

How internode length,position and presence of leaves affect survival and growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternanthera philoxeroides</Emphasis> after fragmentation?

Disturbance is common in nature and disturbance-caused fragmentation of clones happens frequently in stoloniferous plants. After fragmentation storage in stolon internodes and leaves may enhance survival and growth of stoloniferous plants. We hypothesize that (1) increasing length of the internode attached to the ramet and (2) presence of leaves will increase ramet survival and growth, and that (3) internode positions (before or after the ramet or both) will also play a role. We tested these hypotheses with the stoloniferous, invasive herb Alternanthera philoxeroides. In one experiment, we measured survival and growth of the ramets either without stolon internode (0 cm in length) or attached with internodes of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm and either with or without leaves. In the other experiment, we measured survival and growth of the ramets attached with a proximal internode (before the ramet), a distal internode (after the ramet) or both. Increasing internode length and presence of leaves significantly increased the survival rate and growth (biomass, leaf area, number of ramets, stolon length and number of leaves) of the A. philoxeroides plants. All growth measures of A. philoxeroides at harvest were larger when the ramets were attached with a distal internode than when they were attached with a proximal internode, but the survival rate was lower. These results support the hypotheses and suggest that storage in stolons and leaves may be of great significance for clonal plants in frequently disturbed habitats and may contribute greatly to the invasiveness of A. philoxeroides.     

高寒退化与未退化草甸土壤下匍匐茎鹅绒萎陵菜的克隆生长特征的比较

通过鹅绒萎陵菜的野外移栽试验,分析了在矮嵩草草甸土壤和退化草甸土壤下该种植物的克隆繁殖特征．结果表明,在母株产生的匍匈茎数量、母株高度和叶片大小在两类不同土壤下没有明显差异．母株叶片数、匍匈茎的粗度、匍匈茎长度以及间隔子的长度有较明显的差异．在退化草甸土壤中母株叶片较多,匍匈茎长度和间隔子长度明显较长,匍匈茎直径也明显较大．在退化草甸环境中,由于土壤养分相对较缺乏,鹅绒萎陵菜可能通过增加母株叶片的数量,尽可能多地积累光合产物,来保证匍匈茎的生长,匍匈茎也以增加粗度和增加长度来尽量增强其觅食能力．鹅绒萎陵菜在生物量投资分配上也表现出一定的差异．与退化草甸土壤环境相比,在未退化草甸土壤中,鹅绒委陵菜克隆母株和分株的生物量均明显偏向地下部分(根系)的投资,以期从土壤中吸收更多的养分,从而最终提高子株的成活率．     

不同光照条件下结缕草全株碳素生理整合格局及其生态效应

在4种光照处理条件下（处理I：对所有分株光照处理;处理Ⅱ：对所有分株遮光处理;处理Ⅲ：仅对引入^13CO2的复合节分株进行遮光处理;处理Ⅳ：仅对引入^13CO2的复合节分株进行光照处理）,分别从结缕草（Zoysia japonica Steud．）克隆植株的基部、中部和梢部（分别为第7、第17和第24复合节）分株引入^13CO2 ,对^13CO2在克隆植株不同器官内的分配格局及传输特征进行了研究。实验结果表明：从克隆植株的不同部位引入^13CO2,^13C的传输格局均表现出以引入点为起始点沿匍匐茎向基和向顶双向运输的趋势,但向顶传输的陡度值均小于向基传输的陡度值,向顶传输的距离则均大于向基传输的距离,说明”c的向顶传输更具优势。分株叶片、匍匐茎和复合节根中^13C的传输格局有一定差异;引入点分株叶中δ^13C值较高,其他分株叶中δ^13C值均迅速降低;匍匐茎内矿c值总体较低,但^13C传输范围广;当^13CO2引入点位于基部和中部时复合节根的δ^13C值高于匍匐茎,但当^13CO2引入点位于梢部时复合节根的δ^13C值低于匍匐茎。从^13C的传输范围及陡度值看,总体上分株叶中^13C的陡度值显著大于复合节根和匍匐茎;在匍匐茎中^13C呈现出平缓的传输格局但传输距离最远。此外,在4种光照处理条件下,处理Ⅳ的根及匍匐茎中13C向基或向顶传输的陡度值总体上均最高,且各器官^13C的传输距离均最远;但从基部、中部和梢部分株引入^13CO2后,分别在处理Ⅱ、处理Ⅲ和处理I的分株叶中^13C向基或向顶传输的陡度值均最高。根据实验结果,对不同光照条件下结缕草克隆植株不同器官内光合产物的分配格局及其生态效应进行了探讨。     

匍匐茎草本绢毛匍匐委陵菜对局部遮荫的克隆可塑性

采自林窗和林内生境的绢毛匍匐委陵菜 (PotentillareptansL .var.sericophyllaFranch)“分株对”(即由一匍匐茎节间相连着的两个分株 ,其一为“目标分株” ,另一为“相连分株”)在一户外实验中经历了全不遮荫、全部遮荫和局部遮荫处理。该植物的基株生物量、匍匐茎总长度、分株数、匍匐茎比节间重、叶柄长、比叶柄重在遮荫条件下较小。匍匐茎节间长度没有对遮荫处理发生反应。在局部遮荫处理 ,遮荫斑块的分株的叶柄长度由于连着未遮荫斑块中分株而变得更长。这种克隆整合对克隆形态可塑性的修饰作用只在林窗生境来源的实验植物中观察到。其他克隆生长和克隆形态特征的可塑性在不同生境来源的实验植物间没有差异。     

Clonal Plasticity in Response to Partial Neutral Shading in the Stoloniferous Herb Potentilla reptans var. sericophylla

Ramet-pairs of Potentilla reptans L. var.sericophylla Franch from forest gap and forest understory were subjected to unshading, shading and partial shading treatments in a pot experiment. The genet biomass, total length of stolons, number of ramets, specific stolon weight, petiole length and specific petiole weight of the plant species under the shaded condition were smaller than those under the unshaded condition. The stolon internode length did not respond to the various treatments. In the plants from the forest gap, the petiloes of ramet grown in the shaded patch were longer as connected to plant part in the unshaded patch than as connected to plant part under the same shaded condition. Such modification of local response of ramet petiole to shading due to physiological integration was not observed in the plants from the understory. There was no effect of connection to ramets in shaded patches on the local response of the rest ramet characters to the partial unshading.     

不同光照条件下聚花过路黄的克隆构型和分株种群特征

以都江堰灵岩山常绿阔叶林林下、林缘和林缘旷地3种不同光照环境中匍匐茎草本聚花过路黄(Lysimachla congestiflora)为对象,对其匍匐茎节间长、分枝强度、分枝角度、分株种群密度、分株种群生物量等指标进行了测定和分析．结果表明,聚花过路黄的匍匐茎节间长、分枝强度、分株种群密度和分株种群生物量在3种生境间差异显著．Kruskal Wallis检验表明,匍匐茎节间长度和分枝角度的频次分布在3种生境间差异显著．3种生境中匍匐茎节间长度分布偏斜度(skewness)的大小分别为：林缘旷地>林缘>林下．林缘旷地与林缘和林下生境在分枝角度、分株种群高度和分株种群根冠比差异显著,而且林缘旷地生境中分枝角度分布偏斜度最小．林缘和林下生境在分枝角度、分株种群高度和分株种群根冠比差异不显著．从林缘旷地、林缘到林下,聚花过路黄的克隆构型和分株种群特征发生了相应改变．结合克隆植物对资源的利用对策,讨论了不同生境中聚花过路黄克隆构型和分株种群特征可塑性的生态适应意义．     

Clonal segmentation – The development of physiological independence within stolons of Glechoma hederacea L. (Lamiaceae)

The youngest parts of clonal plants benefit from substantial physiological support from older parts, but the extent to which this physiological dependence persists through time is poorly understood. The development of autonomy among connected subunits was therefore analysed in the clonal species Glechoma hederacea. The stolons of a series of clonal fragments with differing numbers of primary ramets were severed at a fixed point relative to the four oldest primary ramets. The subsequent growth of both parts of the severed fragments was compared with that of a series of intact fragments.The growth of apical stolon portions that included five or more rooted primary ramets at the time of severing was unaffected by severing. Apical portions with three or fewer rooted ramets at the time of severing produced fewer new primary ramets than equivalent parts of intact fragments, while apical portions with four or fewer rooted ramets produced less above-ground mass than equivalent apical portions of intact clonal fragments. Basal portions of clonal fragments severed when there were one or two rooted ramets in the apical portion produced more secondary ramet mass than equivalent parts of intact fragments. The gain in mass of secondary ramets in the basal portions of severed fragments matched the reduction in mass of secondary ramets in the apical portions. However, severing caused an overall loss of mass when apical portions had three or fewer rooted ramets at the time of severing, because the mass of primary ramets in basal portions did not increase following severing. Severing had little impact on the allometry of the apical portions. The relationship between mass in secondary ramets and mass in primary ramets was similar in the apical portions of severed and intact clonal fragments. None of the severing treatments increased the total mass of secondary ramets, suggesting that apical dominance in this species only affects branches very close to the apex.These observations, combined with existing knowledge of vascular architecture in G. hederacea, demonstrate that, whether or not physical connections persist between ramets, growing stolons rapidly develop into physiologically autonomous segments. This may be a characteristic of species that exploit disturbed, spatially heterogeneous habitats through rapid multiplication of ramets connected by long, aerial runners or stolons.     

Reciprocal transport between ramets increases growth of Fragaria chiloensis when light and nitrogen occur in separate patches but only if patches are rich

Summary Fragaria chiloensis is a stoloniferous perennial herb that grows on coastal sand dunes where scattered shrubs create small patches of lower photon flux density (PFD) but higher soil nitrogen availability. The potential effects of resource transport between ramets when PFD and soil nitrogen are negatively associated in space were tested by comparing the growth of pairs of ramets in which the vascular connection between ramets was either severed or left intact. One ramet in each pair was given high PFD but a low level of soil nitrogen and the other ramet was given low PFD but high N. The analogous effects of resource transport likely to be realized in nature were tested by substituting a more realistic medium soil nitrogen level in place of the high level. Results suggested that connected ramets exchanged carbon and nitrogen under both regimes of soil nitrogen heterogeneity. In the low versus high nitrogen regime, connected ramets had higher combined dry biomass and different patterns of dry mass partitioning from those of severed ramets; effect of connection was greater on ramets given low PFD and high N and on younger ramets. In the low versus medium nitrogen regime, connected ramets had different patterns of partitioning only. Apparent reciprocal resource transport between ramets can enhance the growth of ramets with complementary resource deficiencies, but may affect growth in dry mass only when maximum resource levels are high.     

Demography and modelling of clonal fragments in the pseudoannual plant shape Trientalis europaea L.

The clonal growth pattern and demography of clonal fragments (aggregation of ramets derived from a common parent ramet) in the pseudoannual plant Trientalis europaea were studied in field conditions from 1991 to 1993. During this period the population of clonal fragments declined, with a half-life of 7.4 years. Number and size of the clonal progeny and stolon length were positively related to the size of the mother ramet. Survival rates of ramets and tubers increased with size. The rate of clonal growth was low: after three years, about 70% of the clonal fragments had only one ramet. This suggests that the pseudoannual growth habit in T. europaea is more important as mechanism of perennation than of ramet multiplication.Field data were used in a simulation model of architecture and population dynamics of clonal fragments. About 10% of the clonal fragments survived to the end of the simulation (15 years) and the mean survival was 4.7 years. The model predicted a positive correlation between persistence of the clonal fragment and number of ramets produced. Sensitivity analysis showed that the production of a daughter ramet of at least the same size as the parent ramet was the most important pathway for the survival and the number of ramets of the clonal fragment, whereas the production of secondary ramets had a very small effect. This confirms the interpretation of the pseudoannual life-cycle as a mechanism of ramet replacement in this species. Sensitivity analysis also revealed that changes in survival probabilities of the smallest ramets had the largest impact on clonal fragment dynamics. This reflects the important role of the smallest size class of ramets as a source of new vegetative propagules, maintaining a hierarchy in the size structure of the population.     

松嫩平原不同生境芦苇种群分株的生物量分配与生长分析

在松嫩平原8月中旬,4个旱地生境芦苇种群分株的生长和生产力以季节性临时积水的低洼地为最高,以碱斑地为最低,两个生境之间分株高度相差2.8倍,分株生物量相差4.4倍,其它2个生境沙地和草甸混生 少也达到了显著或极显著水平,不同生境芦苇种群分株生物量分配的差异,蕴涵着重要的生长调节和物质分配策略。在分株株较小而又有充分生长空间的沙地生境和三斑生境,以及具有种间竞争的草句生境,分株将50％以上的物质分配给叶的建造上,以保证充分的物质生产;在环境条件相对较好的低洼地生境,分株将近40％的物质分配给茎的伸长生长,以提高个体对空间和光资源的竞争力。4个生境芦苇种群在分株增高与增重,以及茎、叶与分株的相对增重均具有相同的幂函数异速生长规律。     

微齿眼子菜(Potamogeton maackianus A.Benn.)茎段的无性繁殖特点研究

匍匐茎型的沉水植物微齿眼子菜(Potam ogeton maackianusA.Benn.)在自然生境中的繁殖方式主要是无性繁殖,彼此相连的分株通常受到水流、草食性鱼类和人为干扰的影响导致分离或者枝条片断化,片断化的枝条在新的生境中再生进行繁殖。实验模拟微齿眼子菜枝条的片断化来验证假设:微齿眼子菜直立茎段与匍匐茎段的无性繁殖能力是否一致,茎段可能有一个最小长度来保证它的存活,并且茎段着泥的方向也会影响它的成活率。实验结果表明:直立茎段与匍匐茎段的成活率、生物量有显著差异,而且茎段的长度显著影响它们的成活率、生物量,而直立茎段与匍匐茎段克隆株的每株分枝数没有显著差异;直立茎段比匍匐茎段更易成株成活,茎段的长度越长,成活率越高,具有3个节间的茎段成活率接近100%;同时茎段着泥的方向显著影响茎段成活率、所产生抽条的株高以及可产生抽条的节数,对总生物量没有显著影响,而对根的生物量有显著影响;茎段正向着泥有利于它们的成活率、定植能力提高。