Interspecific variation in clonality in temperate lianas revealed by genetic analysis: Do clonal proliferation processes differ among lianas?

Abstract

Lianas are important components of forest communities with a considerable impact on overall forest structure and function. Lianas are characterized by extensive clonal reproduction on the forest floor, which is important for their establishment and growth. Previous studies have suggested that clonal reproduction strategies vary substantially among liana species; however, few studies have quantitatively evaluated the clonality strategy in multiple co-occurring liana species. The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the relative contribution of clonal reproduction and to understand the clonal proliferation processes in co-occurring liana species by assessing both small stems on the forest floor and mature stems that climbed trees. The clonal reproduction strategy in four common liana species (stem twiner: Wisteria floribunda; root climbers: Schizophragma hydrangeoides, Euonymus fortunei and Rhus ambigua) in a 6-ha plot and a belt transect within an old-growth temperate forest in central Japan was evaluated using genetic analysis. The contribution of clonal reproduction was smaller in root climbers than in W. floribunda. All W. floribunda genets with small ramets in the understory had genetically identical ramets that climbed trees, whereas few such ramets were found in root climbers. This indicates that W. floribunda mature ramets laterally produce small ramets via clonal proliferation, whereas seedlings of root climbers grow horizontally to climb trees. The results indicate that the clonal reproduction processes differ greatly among lianas and the clonal growth in lianas plays a contrasting role in their life-history strategy.

Plant Species Biology—Editorial

“…In 2021, the Editorial Committee of Plant Species Biology selected two papers for the Best Paper Award: “The pollination seesaw of Rhynchospora cephalotes (L.) Vahl (Cyperaceae): Influence of plant location on the role of wind and insects as pollen vectors” contributed by Ana Carolina Galindo da Costa, William Wayt Thomas, and Isabel Cristina Machado (Costa et al, 2021; Vol. 36: 503–511) and “Interspecific variation in clonality in temperate lianas revealed by genetic analysis: Do clonal proliferation processes differ among lianas?” contributed by Hideki Mori, Saneyoshi Ueno, Takashi Kamijo, Yoshihiko Tsumura, and Takashi Masaki (Mori et al, 2021; Vol. 36: 578–588).…”

“…36: 503-511) and "Interspecific variation in clonality in temperate lianas revealed by genetic analysis: Do clonal proliferation processes differ among lianas?" contributed by Hideki Mori, Saneyoshi Ueno, Takashi Kamijo, Yoshihiko Tsumura, and Takashi Masaki (Mori et al, 2021;Vol. 36: 578-588).…”

Survivorship and yield of a harvested population of Forsteronia glabrescens

“…Many lianas have great capacity of regenerating after damage, so that a new branch quickly replaces a damaged branch [ 19 ]. In many species of lianas several stems may be ramets of the same genet, resulting from vegetative reproduction through stolons or rooting of stems [ 19 – 21 ]. Despite attributes favouring their increase in abundance in primary and secondary forests [ 16 – 18 ], some species are undergoing population declines due to overexploitation [ 5 , 22 – 24 ] or other processes [ 25 ].…”

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“…Many lianas have great capacity of regenerating after damage, so that a new branch quickly replaces a damaged branch [19]. In many species of lianas several stems may be ramets of the same genet, resulting from vegetative reproduction through stolons or rooting of stems [19][20][21]. Despite attributes favouring their increase in abundance in primary and secondary forests [16][17][18], some species are undergoing population declines due to overexploitation [5,[22][23][24] or other processes [25].…”