Consequences of Foraging in Clonal Plant Species

Abstract

Some clonal plant species decrease rhizome or stolon internode lengths and/or increase the frequency of branching when they grow in favorable environments. This foraging response is thought to be beneficial since it should allow ramets to concentrate in areas of favorable habitat. However, there have been few critical tests of the effectiveness with which ramets are placed in favorable habitat as a result of the foraging response. In this paper, I use empirically calibrated stochastic simulation and diffusion models to compare the growth of clones in favorable and unfavorable habitat. I ask whether observed changes in rhizome lengths and clonal branching patterns are likely to decrease significantly the distance clones move, and thus, to enable mets to remain for longer periods of time in favorable habitat. For the empirical data used in this study, results from the models indicate that the effectiveness of the foraging response is likely to be variable. In some cases, such as results from models based on the response of Glechoma hederacea to nutrients, there is no significant difference in the distance clones move in favorable and unfavorable habitat. Thus, even through rhizome lengths may be significantly shorter in favorable patches, this does not guarantee that clones disperse significantly less far and thereby remain longer in favorable habitat. The effectiveness of the foraging response depends strongly on the distribution of clonal growth angles, the pattern of clonal branching, and the variance in rhizome or stolon internode length. These results, particularly the importance of growth angles and the relatively limited effectiveness of the foraging response, differ from those in previously published models of foraging in clonal plant species. I conclude with a discussion of reasons that may underlie these differences.