Growth and survival of white clover (Trifolium repens) transplanted into patches of different grass species

Abstract

Previous studies on Trifolium repens L. showed differentiation with respect to neighbouring plant species and local environmental conditions. In this study, we conducted a series of reciprocal transplants among and within different pastures and among neighbouring grass species (Lolium perenne L., Dactylis glomerata L., and Holcus lanatus L.). While the presence of a grass neighbour decreased survival and growth of T. repens, no evidence of differentiation by T. repens to either local environmental conditions or to neighbouring grass species was found. We suggest that T. repens, in systems like our study pastures that have small, transient grass patches, may show inconsistent and ephemeral responses to the presence of neighbouring plants, whereas in other systems with larger grass patch size and a longer period of exposure to selection processes, T. repens show fine-scale biotic differentiation to neighbouring grass species. Keywords: population differentiation, white clover, selection, microevolution, transplantation.