Effects of heterogeneous competitor distribution and ramet aggregation on the growth and size structure of a clonal plant

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 2;8(7):e68557. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068557. Print 2013.

Abstract

Spatially heterogeneous distribution of interspecific competitors and intraspecific aggregation of offspring ramets may affect the growth and size structure of clonal plant populations, but these have been rarely studied. We conducted a greenhouse experiment in which we grew a population of eight offspring ramets (plants) of the stoloniferous clonal plant Hydrocotyle vulgaris aggregately or segregately in two homogeneous treatments with or without a competing grass Festuca elata and a heterogeneous treatment with a patchy distribution of the grass. In patchy grass treatments, H. vulgaris produced markedly more biomass, ramets and stolons in open patches (without grasses) than in grass patches, but displayed lower size variations as measured by coefficient of variation of biomass, ramets and stolons among the eight plants. In open areas, H. vulgaris produced statistically the same amounts of biomass and even more stolons and showed higher size variations in patchy grass treatments than in open (no grass) treatments. In grass areas, H. vulgaris grew much worse and displayed higher size variations in patchy grass treatments than in full grass treatments. Ramet aggregation decreased the growth of H. vulgaris in open treatments and in both open and grass patches in patchy grass treatments, but had little effect in full grass treatments. Ramet aggregation had little effect on size variations. Therefore, heterogeneous distribution of competitors can affect the growth and size structure of clonal plant populations, and ramet aggregation may decrease population growth when they grow in open environments or heterogeneous environments with a patchy distribution of interspecific competitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Araliaceae / growth & development*
  • Biomass*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Models, Biological
  • Poaceae / growth & development*
  • Population Density
  • Population Dynamics
  • Species Specificity

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Specific Programs in Graduate Science and Technology Innovation of Beijing Forestry University (BLYJ201104), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (TD-JC-2013-1) and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NECT-10-0234). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.