The effects of drought and waterlogging conditions on the performance of an endemic annual plant, Aster laurentianus

Abstract

Aster laurentianus Fernald is an annual plant endemic to the St. Lawrence estuary. It typically grows in salt marshes at the periphery of shallow lagoons. In this habitat, the water level fluctuates greatly both within and between years. Such fluctuations may induce significant interannual variations in marsh-plant populations. In this study, we experimentally determined the effects of different water availability conditions, imposed at various stages of plant development, on the performance of A. laurentianus. Waterlogging had no significant effect on net carbon assimilation rate, plant growth, and biomass allocation. However, a drought stress at the time of reproductive-bud differentiation had a negative effect on flower-head production. We propose that occasional reproductive failures resulting from late-summer droughts may cause significant interannual fluctuations in the size of A. laurentianus populations, potentially making them more susceptible to local extinction.Key words: Aster laurentianus, endemic plant, Îles-de-la-Madeleine, rare plant, salt marshes, water stress.