Seasonal Biomass and Nutrient Allocation patterns in Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum Ait.), a Spring Geophyte

Abstract

NAULT, A. AND D. GAGNON (Dept. Sci. biol., Univ. du Quebec a Montreal, Groupe Rech. Ecol. Forest., Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada). Seasonal biomass and nutrient allocation patterns in wild leek (Allium tricoccum Ait.), a spring geophyte. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 115: 45-54. 1988.-Biomass and nutrient allocation patterns were studied during the growing season in a wild leek (Allium tricoccum Ait.) population in southern Quebec, Canada. Wild leek is a spring geophyte in which the photosynthetic phase precedes and does not overlap the reproductive phase. N, P, K, Mg and Ca allocation to plant structures was studied concurrently with biomass allocation in reproductive plants during the 1983 growing season. Biomass allocation to individuals of all size-classes (divided into two size-classes) of the population was studied in 1984 and 1985. Patterns observed are typical of plants with a spring ephemeral phenology, such as a high investment to leaves during the short photosynthetic period. The large allocation to the bulb suggests a conservative survival strategy, based primarily on vegetative propagation. Nutrient and biomass allocation patterns were largely similar, except for mobile nutrients (N and P) in the scape. Little variation in biomass allocation was seen in large reproductive wild leek plants from year to year; smaller, non-reproductive plants showed higher variability, probably because of higher phenological response to climate.