Abstract
The trade-off between allocation to sexual and clonal reproduction in clonal plants is influenced by a variety of environmental factors; however, it has rarely been examined under field conditions. In this study, we investigated the trade-off between two modes of reproduction in Carex brevicuspis C. B. Clarke across a small-scale elevational gradient (21–27 m a.s.l.) at the Dongting Lake wetlands, China. The proportion of biomass allocated to and the density of reproductive ramets were higher at low than at intermediate and high elevations. In contrast, the proportion of biomass allocated to and the density of rhizome buds were lower at low than at intermediate and high elevations. Redundancy analysis showed that sexual reproduction was positively correlated with soil moisture content, soil organic matter, total phosphorus, and pH, and negatively correlated with elevation and ramet density. Our findings suggested that allocation to sexual reproduction is favored in disturbed habitats with fertile soils, whereas allocation to vegetative propagation is favored in stable and competitive habitats. Trade-off between allocation to sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation along an elevational gradient might be a reproductive strategy of C. brevicuspis to adapt to the water level fluctuations in wetland habitats.
Highlights
Sexual reproduction in favorable site conditions[11], whereas other studies have suggested that clonal plants increase asexual reproduction in stable or productive surroundings[12,13]
We addressed the following two hypotheses: (1) more reproductive ramets would be produced at low-elevation sites where habitat conditions are harsh, whereas more vegetative buds would be produced by plants at high-elevation sites where conditions are relatively favorable; and (2) there would be a trade-off between sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation, i.e., an increase in allocation to sexual reproduction would decrease the allocation to vegetative propagation, and vice versa
Our results demonstrated that sexual reproduction of C. brevicuspis decreased, whereas vegetative propagation increased with elevation
Summary
Sexual reproduction in favorable site conditions[11], whereas other studies have suggested that clonal plants increase asexual reproduction in stable or productive surroundings[12,13]. We addressed the following two hypotheses: (1) more reproductive ramets would be produced at low-elevation sites where habitat conditions are harsh, whereas more vegetative buds would be produced by plants at high-elevation sites where conditions are relatively favorable; and (2) there would be a trade-off between sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation, i.e., an increase in allocation to sexual reproduction would decrease the allocation to vegetative propagation, and vice versa To test these hypotheses, we investigated the demography of rhizome buds, and vegetative and reproductive ramets of C. brevicuspis by sampling belowground buds and aboveground shoot populations, and recorded environmental factors over one complete growing season at three elevations (low, 21–23 m; intermediate, 24–25 m; high 25–27 m) in the Dongting Lake wetlands
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