Differences in allocation patterns in clonal and sexual offspring in a woodland pseudo-annual |
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Authors: | René Verburg Danny Grava |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Utrecht University, P.O.Box 800.84, NL 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands Fax: +31-30-2518366; e-mail: RENEV@BOEV.BIOL.RUU.NL, NL |
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Abstract: | We compared the patterns of allocation to reproduction among seed-derived and clonal offspring of a woodland pseudo-annual.
Pseudo-annuals are clonal plants which survive the winter only as seeds and hibernacles produced by the rhizome system. Previous
studies indicate that flowering is related to the size of these hibernacles. Since seedlings do not have a hibernacle, we
did not expect that these plants would reproduce sexually. Assuming a trade-off between sexual and asexual reproduction, and
assuming a linear relationship between vegetative plant weight and weight of all reproductive structures (i.e., rhizomes,
hibernacles, inflorescences, and seeds), we expected that seed-derived plants would have a stronger biomass allocation to
rhizomes and hibernacles. Since resource supply affects plant size, and thus hibernacle and seed production, we also subjected
the plants to different levels of shade. At the start of the experiment seed-derived and clonal offspring hardly differed
in total fresh weight. At the final harvest in September seed-derived and clonal offspring did not differ in vegetative plant
weight (i.e., leaves, stems, and roots). Only light availability significantly affected these plant structures. As predicted,
seed-derived plants did not flower in either of the light treatments. Seed-derived plants allocated more biomass to rhizomes
and hibernacles, but this was only significant in the highest-light treatment. This result was due only to an increase in
the number of hibernacles. Dry weight of single hibernacles was not affected by plant type. The ecological implications of
this allocation pattern are discussed.
Received: 2 October 1997 / Accepted: 8 March 1998 |
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Keywords: | Clonal plant Ontogenetic differences Reproductive allocation Seedling Size-number trade-off |
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