Stolon Length Research Articles

Occupational strategy of runner reed ( Phragmites japonica): Change of growth patterns with developmental aging

The characteristics of P. japonica stands growing along ten transect in an AFP were assessed. Especially those of the reproductive organs in terms of developmental stages were focused. Four consecutive stages were observed based on the existence of reproductive organs (flowers and stolons). Plants in the ‘stolon’ and ‘flower and stolon’ stages played a role as a colonizer by stolonization (the longest length of stolon was more than 9 m) while those in the ‘flower’ stage played a role as an occupant via forming tall and dense shoots on tussocks (more than 2 m and about 20 shoots per tussock including dead standing shoots). Consecutive developmental stages according to changes in growth patterns, particularly in the conversion of reproductive organ from asexual (stolon) to sexual (flower), was the critical strategy of P. japonica for efficient monotypic occupation. This occupational strategy of P. japonica also resulted in a sharp decrease of the plant species richness (two to three including P. japonica) growing in the same area with P. japonica in the mature (‘flower’) stage.

The effect of drought stress on growth parameters, essential oil yield and constituent of Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.)

5 Abstract: Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) is one of the most important plants producing essential oil. An experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design with 3 replications to study the effect of salinity stress on growth parameters, essential oil constituents and yield of peppermint. Full-strength Hoaglund's solution containing 0, 50, 100 and 150 mmol L NaCl was applied in irrigation plantings for 4 1 months in a greenhouse. The results showed that salinity stress significantly affected Stem length, root length, shoot wet weight, root wet weight and shoot dry weight, root dry weight, Internodes length, stolon length, biomass, Essential oil yield and Essential oil percent in P < 0.05. An increase in the salinity lead to reduce in length of stem and root, fresh weight of stem and root, dry weight of stem and root, internodes length, total biomass and essential oil percent and yield. It is necessary to mention that peppermint did not tolerate 150 mmol L NaCl and died under this condition. The highest values of growth parameters and essential 1 oil percent and yield were observed under non-salinity condition (control). Also, the highest values of Mentone were obtained under non-salinity condition (control) by using GC-MS.

English

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of space flight factors on&nbsp;Buchloe dactyloides &ldquo;Jingyin No.3&rdquo; seeds. After the retrieval, basic turf characters of plants were tested. Among the 100 plants tested, 21 showed great change on phenotype characters, including leaf blade length and width, height, stem diameter, number of tillers, number and length of stolon, length of stolon inter node, leaf color and extent of leaf turning yellow.&nbsp;33&nbsp;primers were screened in inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) analysis to evaluate DNA variation between mutations and their ground controls. Results show that 15.6 reliable bands were generated by 7 primers, of which 12.9 (80.9%) were polymorphic. Based on the study, we can conclude that the space flight factors could induce inheritable mutagenic changes on&nbsp;B. dactyloides&nbsp;seeds, and do further research to demonstrate these changes in genetic material of the mutants. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Genetic diversity,&nbsp;Buchloe dactyloides, spaceflight, inter-simple sequence repeats. &nbsp

Stolon Growth and Tillering of Experimental Zoysiagrasses in Shade

Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) grown under shade on golf courses and in home lawns is slow to recover from damage and declines in quality over time. We evaluated stolon growth and tillering of ‘Meyer’ and Chinese Common (both Z. japonica Steud.); ‘Zorro’, ‘Diamond’, and ‘Cavalier’ [all Z. matrella L. (Merr.)]; ‘Emerald’ (Z. matrella × Z. pacifica Goudsw.); and six experimental progeny from ‘Emerald’ × Z. japonica and reciprocal crosses of Z. japonica × Z. matrella under silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) shade and in full sun in 2008 and 2009 in Manhattan, KS. A single 6-cm diameter plug was planted in the center of 1.2 m × 1.2-m plots, and data were collected weekly on the number of stolons, stolon elongation, and number of stolon branches. Tiller number was collected at the start and end of each study period, and biomass (excluding roots) was determined at the end of each season. Zoysiagrasses under an average of 76% tree shade exhibited reductions of 38% to 95% in stolon number; 9% to 70% in stolon length; 10% to 93% in stolon branching; and 56% to 98% in biomass. Seven of the 10 grasses exhibited a decline in tiller number in each experiment; none of the grasses differed from ‘Meyer’ in percentage change in tiller number under shade. ‘Emerald’, ‘Cavalier’, ‘Zorro’, and several progeny from crosses between ‘Emerald’ × Z. japonica or reciprocal crosses of Z. matrella × Z. japonica produced more, longer, or more highly branched stolons than ‘Meyer’, suggesting they may have improved recovery potential in shade.

Burial depth and stolon internode length independently affect survival of small clonal fragments.

Disturbance can fragment plant clones into different sizes and unstabilize soils to different degrees, so that clonal fragments of different sizes can be buried in soils at different depths. As a short-term storage organ, solon internode may help fragmented clones of stoloniferous plants to withstand deeper burial in soils. We address (1) whether burial in soils decreases survival and growth of small clonal fragments, and (2) whether increasing internode length increases survival and growth of small fragments under burial. We conducted an experiment with the stoloniferous, invasive herb Alternanthera philoxeroides, in which single-node fragments with stolon internode of 0, 2, 4 and 8 cm were buried in soils at 0, 2, 4 and 8 cm depth, respectively. Increasing burial depth significantly reduced survival of the A. philoxeroides plants and increased root to shoot ratio and total stolon length, but did not change growth measures. Increasing internode length significantly increased survival and growth measures, but there was no interaction effect with burial depth on any traits measured. These results indicate that reserves stored in stolon internodes can contribute to the fitness of the A. philoxeroides plants subject to disturbance. Although burial reduced the regeneration capacity of the A. philoxeroides plants, the species may maintain the fitness by changing biomass allocation and stolon length once it survived the burial. Such responses may play an important role for A. philoxeroides in establishment and invasiveness in frequently disturbed habitats.

Physical connection decreases benefits of clonal integration in Alternanthera philoxeroides under three warming scenarios

Physical connection between ramets usually allows clonal plants to perform better but can have the opposite effects in some cases. Clonal integration and the effects of climate warming have been extensively studied, but to date little is known about how climate warming affects the benefits of clonal integration. We conducted a field experiment in which Alternanthera philoxeroides segments with connected and severed stolons were subject to four climate regimes (ambient, day warming, night warming and daily warming), and measured final biomass, number of ramets and total length of stolons. Across the three warming treatments, temperature rise suppressed growth of clonal fragments with connected stolons but increased growth of fragments with severed stolons; temperature rise affected the biomass of distal ramets but not proximal ramets, and had similar effects on the numbers of proximal and distal ramets. When the three warming treatments were considered separately, they had contrasting consequences for the benefits of clonal integration. Specifically, when fragments were exposed to day and night warming, physical connection evened out the advantages of clonal integration that occur under ambient conditions; when fragments were exposed to daily warming, physical connection led to smaller clonal plants. These findings suggest that physical connection between ramets may be disadvantageous to overall performance of A.philoxeroides fragments under climate warming, and also indicate that the net consequences of daily warming outweigh those of day or night warming.

Impact of nitrogen nutrition on growth and plant quality of Centella asiatica

Due to its bioactive triterpene saponins, Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times and its economical importance is still rising [1,2,3]. Up to now plants are collected spontaneously which implicates a large variation in plant and product quality depending on the origin, genotype and time of harvest of the plants [1–4]. To assure high plant quality, it will be necessary to encourage cultivation of Centella. To our knowledge there is scarce information on cultivation techniques, especially on mineral nutrition of Centella plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nitrogen on growth and saponin biosynthesis of Centella asiatica and to find appropriate parameters to evaluate quality of plant material by non-destructive measurements in situ. Plants were grown for eight weeks in rock wool cubes in a greenhouse and fed with five nutrient solutions differing in their nitrogen concentrations. Number of leaves and stolons, length of stolons, assimilation rate and leaf green intensity were monitored weekly. Non-destructive measurements were conducted with a portable optical sensor (Multiplex® Research, Force-A, France) recording the fluorescence signature which is associated with plant constituents. Fresh and dry weight of leaves and stalks, leaf area and specific leaf weight were ascertained biweekly, while examination of leaf chlorophyll and leaf nutrient content was carried out once at the end of the study. Leaf samples for determination of triterpenoid content were harvested four times. Analyses of asiaticoside and asiatic acid by HPLC are in progress and will be discussed.

Invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea makes a strong impact on the Mediterranean sponge Sarcotragus spinosulus

Here we present the first observation of the impact of the invasive Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea on native photophilic sponge species in the Adriatic Sea, with special focus on Sarcotragus spinosulus. Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea is able to completely overgrow the sponge, developing an exceptionally thick canopy with a maximum measured density of 1,887 m of stolons m−2 and 40,561 fronds m−2. Necrosis of the sponge surface was significantly correlated with the algal dry biomass, frond number and stolon length. Dense algal canopy, penetration of the algal stolon and rhizoids into the sponge oscula and covering of the ostiae probably diminishes the seawater circulation through the sponge and consequently results in its smothering and even death. We suggest that chemotropism is the reason why C. racemosa penetrates the sponge oscula and establishes such dense canopy on the sponge.

Parental effects on the performance of cultivated × wild species hybrids in potato

Valuable genetic diversity in diploid wild Solanum species can be accessed through crosses to haploids (2n = 2×) of the tetraploid cultivated potato, Solanum tuberosum. Haploid-wild species hybrids segregate for the ability to tuberize in the field. In addition, they vary in male fertility, vine size, stolon length, and tuber size. In this study, three haploids were crossed with nine diploid wild Solanum species and 27 hybrid families were evaluated in the field for two years. The proportion of male fertile hybrid clones varied depending on the wild species parent. A large effect of the female parent was detected for vine size, stolon length, tuber size, percent tuberization, and percent plants selected for agronomic quality. An exceptional haploid (US-W4) was identified for the production of agronomically desirable haploid-wild species hybrids. In hybrids derived from US-W4, differences among wild species parents were observed for agronomic quality. Superior hybrids were produced by S. berthaultii and S. microdontum. Reciprocal crosses were evaluated for a subset of families. When the wild species was used as the female parent, male fertility was restored, but tuberization and tuber size were reduced. Careful selection of both haploid and wild species parents can result in a large proportion of fertile, agronomically desirable hybrid offspring.

Morphoagronomic variation in natural populations of Trifolium riograndense (Burkart)

Several species of Trifolium are widely cultivated as forage for animals and green manure. This work aimed to characterize and estimate through morphological and agronomic traits the genetic diversity of natural populations of T. riograndense, an important forage legume from native pastures of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Plant height and diameter, number of primary and secondary stolons, stolon length, number of nodes per primary stolon, internode length, primary stolon diameter, leaf area, petiole length and dry matter production were analyzed in 29 accessions. The first five attributes and dry matter production were evaluated twice. A broad phenotypic variability was observed for almost all characteristics. Positive correlations occurred between petiole length and leaf area (r = 0.68), petiole length and plant height in the first evaluation (0.63), stolon length and plant height (0.58), total dry matter and plant diameter (0.61), and total dry matter and plant height in the second evaluation (0.55). The two most divergent accessions were collected in the same physiographic region and the two less divergent ones in different regions. A dissimilarity dendrogram separated four groups. Accessions collected in a region where T. riograndense is abundant were found to belong to different groups outlining the great variability of this native forage legume. Dry matter production in the first cut was the characteristic that most contributed (20.80%) to accessions divergence followed by number of secondary stolons (12.30%), leaf area (11.07%), and number of nodes per primary stolon (10.93%).

Effects of Orientation on Survival and Growth of Small Fragments of the Invasive, Clonal Plant Alternanthera philoxeroides

BackgroundThe ability of small clonal fragments to establish and grow after disturbance is an important ecological advantage of clonal growth in plants and a major factor in the invasiveness of some introduced, clonal species. We hypothesized that orientation in the horizontal position (typical for stoloniferous plants) can increase the survival and growth of dispersed clonal fragments, and that this effect of orientation can be stronger when fragments are smaller and thus have fewer reserves to support initial growth.Methodology/Principal FindingsTo test these hypotheses, we compared performance of single-node pieces of stolon fragments of Alternanthera philoxeroides planted at angles of 0, 45 or 90° away from the horizontal position, with either the distal or the proximal end of the fragment up and with either 1 or 3 cm of stolon left attached both distal and proximal to the ramet. As expected, survival and growth were greatest when fragments were positioned horizontally. Contrary to expectations, some of these effects of orientation were stronger when attached stolons were longer. Orientation had smaller effects than stolon length on the performance of fragments; survival of fragments was about 60% with shorter stolons and 90% with longer stolons.Conclusions/SignificanceResults supported the hypothesis that orientation can affect establishment of small clonal fragments, suggested that effects of orientation can be stronger in larger rather than smaller fragments, and indicated that orientation may have less effect on establishment than amount of stored resources.

How internode length, position and presence of leaves affect survival and growth of Alternanthera philoxeroides after fragmentation?

Disturbance is common in nature and disturbance-caused fragmentation of clones happens frequently in stoloniferous plants. After fragmentation storage in stolon internodes and leaves may enhance survival and growth of stoloniferous plants. We hypothesize that (1) increasing length of the internode attached to the ramet and (2) presence of leaves will increase ramet survival and growth, and that (3) internode positions (before or after the ramet or both) will also play a role. We tested these hypotheses with the stoloniferous, invasive herb Alternantheraphiloxeroides. In one experiment, we measured survival and growth of the ramets either without stolon internode (0 cm in length) or attached with internodes of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm and either with or without leaves. In the other experiment, we measured survival and growth of the ramets attached with a proximal internode (before the ramet), a distal internode (after the ramet) or both. Increasing internode length and presence of leaves significantly increased the survival rate and growth (biomass, leaf area, number of ramets, stolon length and number of leaves) of the A.philoxeroides plants. All growth measures of A.philoxeroides at harvest were larger when the ramets were attached with a distal internode than when they were attached with a proximal internode, but the survival rate was lower. These results support the hypotheses and suggest that storage in stolons and leaves may be of great significance for clonal plants in frequently disturbed habitats and may contribute greatly to the invasiveness of A. philoxeroides.

Reproductive strategies may explain plant tolerance to inundation: A mesocosm experiment using six marsh species

We investigated the impact of inundation duration on sexual and asexual reproduction strategies in six hygrophilic angiosperm species (2 annuals – Ranunculus sardous and Ranunculus ophioglossifolius, 2 rhizomatous – Juncus articulatus and Eleocharis palustris, and 2 stoloniferous species – Glyceria fluitans and Agrostis stolonifera). Plant growth during three inundation durations (natural, +3 weeks, +6 weeks) was assessed in 20 mesocosms. Biomass and reproductive traits were measured at the onset of flowering and at seed set. The six species maintained or increased their total mass in response to increased inundation period, suggesting a good tolerance to inundation stress. No changes were recorded in flowering time for the five species that flowered. The two annual species increased the number of flowers and mass allocated to sexual reproduction with increased duration of inundation, promoting extensive seed production. The response was species-specific in perennial species with an either a positive or a negative Gaussian curve of both traits in response to the increased duration of inundation. The duration of inundation affected ramet production in all perennial species except A. stolonifera, promoting ramet production in two out of the three species. In all species except E. palustris, the length and number of stolons or rhizomes were maintained, suggesting the importance of these connections in the resistance of perennial plants to flooding stress. These species occurring in repeatedly inundated habitats thus appeared to be tolerant to long inundations thanks to both sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation.

Physiological integration increases the survival and growth of the clonal invader Carpobrotus edulis

Clonal growth seems to be a common trait for many of the most aggressive invasive plant species. However, little research has been conducted to determine the role of clonality in the successful invasion of new areas by exotic species. Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E. Br. is a mat-forming succulent plant, native to South Africa that is invasive in coastal dunes of Australia, New Zealand, USA and Southern Europe. Although Carpobrotus edulis is a clonal plant, there is no information on the role of clonality for the invasion by this species, therefore the objective of this study was to test whether or not physiological integration improves the performance of C. edulis invading coastal sand dunes. To do that, a 6-month field experiment was designed in which the stolon connections between the apical ramets and the C. edulis mats were severed to prevent physiological integration. This treatment was applied to ramets growing under high and low competition with the native species. Apical ramets with intact stolon connections were used as control. Integration improved the survivorship and growth of apical ramets, both in high and low competition. Connected ramets showed a more pronounced increase of clonal growth (estimated as stolon length) during the experimental period and a higher total biomass and number of ramets at the completion of the experiment. In terms of survivorship, the benefit of integration was greater under high competition. Physiological integration can therefore be considered an important factor in the invasiveness of C. edulis, both in open space and in direct competition with the native plants.

Forage Production, Nitrogen Fixation, and Soil N Accumulation of White Clover in the Hill Farming System of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Quantitative measurements of plant growth characteristics, forage production, nitrogen (N) fixation, and soil N accumulation by white clover were determined in a field experiment at the subhumid hilly region of Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Three indigenous and two exotic ecotypes of white clover were used in the study. Indigenous ecotypes were collected from three different locations (i.e., Tollipir, Banjosa, and Rawalakot), whereas exotic ecotypes (NuSiral and Irrigation) were collected from New South Wales Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, Australia. Data were collected for two seasons (spring 2004–autumn 2004). Total average values for height, number of stolons, length of stolons, number of leaves, and leaf area were 13–50 cm, 9–20, 2–4 cm, 23–81, and 7–16 cm2, respectively. The morphological characteristics of exotic ecotypes were significantly higher than the indigenous ecotypes, and the percentage increase in different plant characteristics was +6% to 214%. Total herbage dry‐matter yield (DMY) in the indigenous and exotic ecotypes varied between 0.5–2.3 and 3.6–4 Mg ha−1, respectively. All the ecotypes showed substantial nodulation potential, and the number of nodules in plant roots ranged from 65 to 119, confirming the presence of indigenous Rhizobium population in the soil. The N contents of harvested herbage of white clover were 2.3–3.0% compared to 0.85% in the grass, and the estimated rates of N2 fixation were 26 kg N ha−1 in the indigenous to 79 kg N ha−1 in the exotic ecotypes. Amount of N2 fixed was strongly correlated with DMY, suggesting that crop DM can be used as an indicator of N2 fixation in white clover. Protein content of white clover was 14–19%, compared to 5% in the indigenous grass species. Total organic carbon (C) and N in control soil were 8.5 and 0.75 g kg−1, which increased significantly to 13.1 and 0.93 g kg−1 in soil under white clover. It is concluded that white clover has substantial potential for growth and establishment in the subhumid hilly regions and can be used to recuperate degraded soils because of its ability to sustain high level of pasture production and increase the N status of soil. These benefits could be of particular use for small‐scale resource‐poor farmers.

Temporal and spatial variability in shallow- and deep-water populations of the invasive Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea in the Western Mediterranean

The invasive green alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea represents an important threat to the diversity of Mediterranean benthic coastal ecosystems by interfering with native species and modifying benthic assemblages. The present study deals, for the first time, with the temporal and spatial variability of the biomass and phenology of C. racemosa considering both deep- and shallow-water populations. Two sampling depths (30 and 10 m) were sampled at three different rocky bottom sites every 3 months in the Archipelago of Cabrera National Park (Western Mediterranean). All morphometric variables analysed showed a spatial variation and temporal patterns depending on depth. Between depths, C. racemosa biomass, stolon length, number of fronds and frond length were usually significantly higher at deep-water populations, suggesting that C. racemosa grows better in deep-waters. Deep- and shallow-water populations displayed a high temporal variation although no evidence of seasonal patterns was found, in contrast with what has been reported by other authors. The sources of this variability are still unknown but probably both physical factors and differential herbivory pressures display a key role.

Forage Production, Nitrogen Fixation, and Soil N Accumulation of White Clover in the Hill Farming System of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Quantitative measurements of plant growth characteristics, forage production, nitrogen (N) fixation, and soil N accumulation by white clover were determined in a field experiment at the subhumid hilly region of Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Three indigenous and two exotic ecotypes of white clover were used in the study. Indigenous ecotypes were collected from three different locations (Tollipir, Banjosa, and Rawalakot), and exotic ecotypes (NuSiral and Irrigation) were collected from New South Wales Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, Australia. Data were collected for two seasons (spring 2004–autumn 2004). Total average values for height, number of stolons, length of stolon, number of leaves, and leaf area were 13–50 cm, 9–20, 2–4 cm, 23–81, and 7–16 cm2, respectively. The morphological characteristics of exotic ecotypes were significantly greater than the indigenous ecotypes, and the percentage increase in different plant characteristics was 6% to 214%. Total herbage dry‐matter yield (DMY) in the indigenous and exotic ecotypes varied between 0.5 and 2.3 and between 3.6 and 4 Mg ha−1, respectively. All the ecotypes showed substantial nodulation potential, and the number of nodules in plant roots ranging from 65 to 119 confirmed the presence of indigenous Rhizobium population in the soil. The N contents of harvested herbage of white clover were 2.3–3.0% compared to 0.85% in the grass, whereas the estimated rates of N2 fixation were 26 kg N ha−1 in the indigenous to 79 kg N ha−1 in the exotic ecotypes. Amount of N2 fixed was strongly correlated with DMY, suggesting that crop DM can be used as an indicator of N2 fixation in white clover. Protein content of white clover was 14–19% compared to 5% in the indigenous grass species. Total organic carbon (C) and N in control soil were 8.5 and 0.75 g kg−1, which increased significantly to 13.1 and 0.93 g kg−1 in soil under white clover. It is concluded that white clover has substantial potential for growth and establishment in the subhumid hilly regions and can be used to recuperate degraded soils via their ability to sustain high levels of pasture production and increase the N status of soil, and these benefits could be of particular use for small‐scale resource‐poor farmers.

Breeding potential of Solanum tuberosum–S. commersonii pentaploid hybrids: fertility studies and tuber evaluation

Twenty-one (near) pentaploid hybrids between sexually incompatible Solanum commersonii [2x(1EBN)] and cultivated S. tuberosum [4x(4EBN)] were characterized for tuber traits and fertility. A number of genotypes resembled the S. tuberosum type in terms of stolon length and eye depth and produced tubers under long day conditions. Tuber yields were not as high as expected, probably due to lack of adaptation of the S. commersonii genome to the environmental conditions in southern Italy (on average 325 g·pt−1 and 285 g·pt−1 in 2003 and in 2004, respectively). Compared to 2004, in the summer of 2003, characterized by extremely high temperatures, hybrids gave a higher tuber yield than the S. tuberosum control, suggesting that in our environmental conditions the wild S. commersonii genome, rather than resulting in heterosis for tuber yield, provides better adaptation to harsh environments. Although aneuploidy has often been associated with reduced fertility, several hybrids were fertile in crosses with S. tuberosum when used as female parents. In particular, the average berry set and number of seeds per berry were 38.2% and 31.8%, respectively. Based on significant relationships between ploidy levels and all yield and fertility data measured, the presence of extra chromosome affected the parameters considered: tuber yield in 2003 and 2004, percentage of fruit set, number of seeds per berry and number of seeds per pollinated flower. Regression analysis also indicated that “Residuals” were significant for all parameters measured. Therefore, additional factors (e.g. the genetic makeup of hybrids) may be key to fertility and yield.

Clonal integration affects growth, photosynthetic efficiency and biomass allocation, but not the competitive ability, of the alien invasive Alternanthera philoxeroides under severe stress.

Many notorious alien invasive plants are clonal, but little is known about some roles and aspects of clonal integration. Here, the hypothesis is tested that clonal integration affects growth, photosynthetic efficiency, biomass allocation and competitive ability of the exotic invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides (Amaranthaceae). The apical parts of Alternanthera were grown either with or without the lawn grass Schedonorus phoenix (tall fescue) and their stolon connections to the basal parts grown without competitors were either severed or left intact. Competition greatly reduced the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (F(v)/F(m)) and growth (biomass, number of ramets and leaves, total stolon length and total leaf area) of the apical Alternanthera, but not the biomass of S. phoenix. Stolon connections significantly increased F(v)/F(m) and growth of Alternanthera. However, such effects on growth were smaller with than without competition and stolon connections did not alter the relative neighbour effect of Alternanthera. Stolon connections increased Alternanthera's biomass allocation to roots without competition, but decreased it with competition. Clonal integration contributed little to Alternanthera's competitive ability, but was very important for Alternanthera to explore open space. The results suggest that the invasiveness of Alternanthera may be closely related to clonal integration.

Response of the clonal plant Apium repens (Jacq.) Lag. to extensive grazing

The target of this paper is the correlation of disturbance characteristics of a traditionally used extensive summer pasture in the Alpine foothills (Southern-Bavaria, Germany) and corresponding seasonal population dynamics of the clonal plant Apium repens (FFH Annex II species). The basic hypothesis is that an extensive cattle grazing of its habitats (flood meadows) provides an optimum disturbance regime for long-term persistence of the species. Spatial and temporal scales of the investigation were adapted to the dimensions of the most prominent disturbance impacts (rotation grazing and hoof trampling by cattle) and response rates of Apium which are mainly controlled by stolon propagation. A total of 603 microplots, each measuring 10 cm×10 cm, were arranged within three transects and surveyed for two seasons. Statistical analyses include spatial second order statistics and mixed linear models. Random Apium extinctions during grazing periods and fast re-invasions of gaps during subsequent resting periods result in strong population fluctuations. The probability of re-invasion depends on the distance to next Apium plant which must not exceed much more than 1 dm. The morphological plasticity of stolon length indicates presence of “foraging behaviour” which facilitates the preoccupation of favourable gaps. Disturbances favour the coexistence of A. repens in the pasture due to a combined effect of reduced shoot competition (destruction of tall competitors) and more efficient “foraging” strategies. Attempts to explain Apium coexistence in these flood meadows must take into account both the fine-tuned balance between different disturbance parameters and corresponding functional plants traits.