Comparison of size-dependent reproductive effort in two dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) populations

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Reproductive effort in dandelions (Taraxacum officinale Weber) from two different habitats was compared. One dandelion population occupied a 5-year-old alfalfa (Medicago spp.) field, an environment subject to regular disturbance but with a relatively low density of neighbours. Individuals from the second population were derived from a number of undisturbed sites where the density of neighbouring grasses was high. Three hypotheses were evaluated with respect to the observed patterns of reproductive effort. One hypothesis, that reproductive effort was a function of differences between habitats in resource availability, did not provide an explanation for our results. A second hypothesis considered patterns of reproductive effort when mortality rates varied with degree of disturbance and neighbour density, which was a consequence of each habitat representing a different successional environment. A third hypothesis used a life-history approach to predict reproductive effort when mortality schedules were size dependent. Both of these hypotheses received support for their predictions. There was more than a sixfold variation in reproductive effort among individuals from the alfalfa field and a fourfold variation on the undisturbed sites. Much of this variation, however, was attributable to a size-dependent relationship between reproductive effort and vegetative mass. Total reproductive effort (total seed plus scape mass) in both populations increased linearly with vegetative mass, but the slope for the population from the alfalfa field was significantly higher. In contrast, proportional reproductive effort (total seed plus scape mass per vegetative mass) showed a curvilinear increase for the alfalfa field population but was linear and negative for the undisturbed population. There were also important differences between the populations in reproductive morphology. Larger plants on the alfalfa field had longer average scape lengths, produced more flower heads (capitula) per plant, had greater seed production, and had a lower ratio of seed mass per pappus area; only mean scape and mean seed mass did not differ significantly. We suggest that dandelions on the alfalfa field have a different reproductive morphology to facilitate colonization of open areas on the field.Key words: Taraxacum, dandelion, reproductive effort, biomass, life history, neighbour density, agriculture, weed.