Trade-off between allocation to reproductive ramets and rhizome buds in Carex brevicuspis populations along a small-scale elevational gradient

Abstract

The trade-off between allocation to sexual and clonal reproduction in clonal plants is influenced by a variety of environmental factors; however, it has rarely been examined under field conditions. In this study, we investigated the trade-off between two modes of reproduction in Carex brevicuspis C. B. Clarke across a small-scale elevational gradient (21–27 m a.s.l.) at the Dongting Lake wetlands, China. The proportion of biomass allocated to and the density of reproductive ramets were higher at low than at intermediate and high elevations. In contrast, the proportion of biomass allocated to and the density of rhizome buds were lower at low than at intermediate and high elevations. Redundancy analysis showed that sexual reproduction was positively correlated with soil moisture content, soil organic matter, total phosphorus, and pH, and negatively correlated with elevation and ramet density. Our findings suggested that allocation to sexual reproduction is favored in disturbed habitats with fertile soils, whereas allocation to vegetative propagation is favored in stable and competitive habitats. Trade-off between allocation to sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation along an elevational gradient might be a reproductive strategy of C. brevicuspis to adapt to the water level fluctuations in wetland habitats.

Seasonal variability of groundwater level effects on the growth of Carex cinerascens in lake wetlands

“…While increasing water level can have negative effect on plant growth due to oxygen shortage (Kotowski et al, ; Li et al, ), positive effects of shallow groundwater levels on C. cinerascens growth suggest that water availability is the main limiting factor for plant growth over seasons and years. Despite not significant, we observed a trend of increasing inflorescence number with higher groundwater level, a finding in agreement with the study of Chen et al () that reported a positive correlation between the sexual reproduction of C. brevicuspis and soil moisture content in Doting Lake wetlands. As Poyang Lake water level is declining due to the effects of Three Gorges Dam, sand mining, and climate change (Lai et al, ; Liu, Wu, & Zhao, ; Piao et al, ; Zhang et al, ), our results suggest that deeper groundwater levels would simultaneously reduce vegetative and sexual reproduction with strong impacts on C. cinerascens populations in the future.…”

Allocation to clonal and sexual reproduction and its plasticity in Vallisneria spinulosa along a water‐depth gradient

“…For instance, Carex brevicuspis invested more resources to sexual vs. asexual reproduction in disturbed habitats with fertile soils (Chen et al. ). Thus, perhaps trade‐off of resource allocation between reproductive modes is an adaptive strategy for clonal plants in various environments.…”

“…Additionally, expression of resource allocation between sexual and clonal reproduction likely further depends on environmental conditions (Sun et al 2001, van Kleunen 2007. For instance, Carex brevicuspis invested more resources to sexual vs. asexual reproduction in disturbed habitats with fertile soils (Chen et al 2015). Thus, perhaps trade-off of resource allocation between reproductive modes is an adaptive strategy for clonal plants in various environments.…”

Estimating vegetative reproduction and population size of Saussurea esthonica

“…The reproductive strategies in natural populations may differ from these observations due to the experiment being carried out in ex situ conditions, as substrate and soil moisture content differed from that of natural populations. Sexual reproduction was positively correlated with soil composition, moisture content and pH level and negatively correlated with ramet density in Carex brevicuspis (Chen et al 2015).…”