Mode of reproduction of Barbarea vulgaris in two different habitats in Tohoku, Japan

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the reproductive characteristics of Barbarea vulgaris under different disturbance regimes (mowing and tilling) in two different habitats: a levee and a wheat field. On the levee, 77 of the 114 individuals that had had their floral stalks removed by the first mowing produced new rosettes at the basal part of the stem during the same growing season. The plants that were mowed four times per year had a significantly greater survival rate than the plants that were mowed twice per year. The levee population that was mowed without tillage was largely maintained by vegetative reproduction.These results suggest that mowing the levees promotes the vegetative reproduction of B. vulgaris and helps it to compete with tall-growing plants, thus facilitating its survival as a perennial. In spite of the high sprouting ability of the plant's root fragments, most of the root fragments did not regenerate when buried or when exposed to high soil moisture conditions in tilled wheat fields. The population of B. vulgaris in tilled wheat fields was maintained almost entirely by sexual reproduction. Barbarea vulgaris can survive under two different management regimes by altering its mode of reproduction.

Rapid evolution of flower phenology and clonality in restored populations of multiple grassland species

“…The restored population of Inula evolved enhanced plasticity of clonal reproduction in response to mowing. Clipping in the common garden boosted the clonal reproduction in this species, a reaction that is common in clonal grassland plants (Tachibana et al, 2010).…”

“…The restored population of Inula evolved enhanced plasticity of clonal reproduction in response to mowing. Clipping in the common garden boosted the clonal reproduction in this species, a reaction that is common in clonal grassland plants (Tachibana et al., 2010). However, this response was much stronger in plants from restored sites (Figure 3), likely as an adaptation to early mowing which limits generative reproduction there.…”

Rapid evolution of flower phenology and clonality in restored populations of multiple grassland species

“…The restored population of Inula salicina evolved enhanced plasticity of clonal reproduction in response to mowing. Clipping in the common garden boosted the clonal reproduction in this species, a reaction that is common in grassland clonal plants (Tachibana et al, 2010). Yet, this response was much stronger in plants from restored sites (Figure 3), likely as an adaptation to early mowing which limits generative reproduction there.…”

Effects of Age, Length, and Pattern of Burial on Survival of Mikania micrantha Stem Sections

“…At that time, each plot was exhumed to retrieve the buried stem sections. Immediately after exhumation (on 28 June 2010), the stem sections were examined and placed into one of three categories (modified from Tachibana et al [2010]), where they were counted and recorded as being either sprouted and emerged, sprouted but not emerged, or decayed and /or desiccated. Survival was recorded if a stem section had sprouted, irrespective of the number of shoots produced.…”