Resource allocation to sexual and vegetative reproduction in a forest herb Syneilesis palmata (Compositae)

Abstract

AbstractThe balance between sexual and vegetative reproduction in Syneilesis palmata was examined in relation to environmental conditions and the amount of reproductive resources, which is defined here as the total quantity of dry matter invested in both modes of reproduction. The allocation balance was measured for individual plants of two populations, with different densities in an open habitat, for 2 years, and those of two other populations, under different light intensities in a plantation forest (forest floor and edge), for 3 years. Relative allocation to sexual reproduction decreased with increasing reproductive resources in all populations except for the forest edge, which showed a constant allocation balance. The high density population showed lower relative allocation to sexual reproduction than the low density population, irrespective of the amount of reproductive resources. However the between‐year comparison of the high density population suggested that under extremely high density, plants with a small amount of reproductive resources enhanced sexual reproduction, while plants with a large amount of reproductive resources reproduced vegetatively. On the forest floor, plants with small amounts of reproductive resources had higher relative allocation to sexual reproduction than the forest edge population, while plants with large amounts of reproductive resources had a somewhat lower one. The adaptive significance of such allocation patterns are discussed, based on qualitative data on the characteristics of both types of offspring.