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Zhang Y, Anthony MA, Yuan Q, Wang Y, Zhao P, Chen E, Peng S. Capacity to form common mycorrhizal networks reduces the positive impact of clonal integration between plants. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2025; 177:e70149. [PMID: 40084491 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.70149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2025] [Accepted: 02/24/2025] [Indexed: 03/16/2025]
Abstract
Both clonal plant capabilities for physiological integration and common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) formed by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can influence the distribution of nutrients and growth among interconnected individuals. Using a microcosm model system, we aimed to disentangle how CMNs interact with clonal integration to influence plant growth and development. We grew Sphagneticola trilobata clones with isolated root systems in individual, adjacent containers while preventing, disrupting, or allowing clonal integration aboveground via spacers and belowground CMNs to form. We assessed multiple metrics of plant development (e.g., growth, specific leaf area, soluble sugar content), 15N transfer from donor (mother) to receiver (daughter) plants, and variation in AMF communities. We show that spacer formation between ramets and the capacity to form CMNs promoted and inhibited the growth of smaller daughter plants, respectively. In contrast to the independent effects of CMNs and spacers, CMNs, in combination with spacers, significantly weakened the promotion of daughter plants by clonal integration. AMF species richness was also negatively correlated with overall plant growth. Our results demonstrate that two common modes of plant interconnection interact in non-additive ways to affect clonal plant integration and growth. These findings, based on Sphagneticola trilobata, question the underlying assumptions of the positive effects of both AMF CMNs and species richness in comparison to direct plant interconnections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark A Anthony
- Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Qianfeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Panpan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Enjian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaolin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Liu Y, Xu S, Li X, Zhang L. Clonal Integration Promotes the Photosynthesis of Clonal Plant Under Heterogeneous Pb and/or Pyrene Stress. TOXICS 2024; 12:899. [PMID: 39771114 PMCID: PMC11728559 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12120899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2024] [Revised: 12/05/2024] [Accepted: 12/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025]
Abstract
Clonal plants can support the growth of their ramets in heterogeneous environments through clonal integration between the ramets. However, the role of clonal integration in modulating ramet photosynthesis under toxic stress, especially combined stress, is unclear. This study examines the impact of clonal integration on Zoysia japonica under three heterogeneous stresses (Pb, pyrene, and Pb+Pyrene) with two stolon connection conditions (connected and disconnected). Our results show that clonal integration significantly enhances PN, gs, Ci, E, and CE while reducing WUE. It also improves ΦPSII, Fv'/Fm', Fv/Fm, Fv/F0, and qP while reducing NPQ. Clonal integration lowers MDA levels, increases SOD activity, and mitigates the decline in CAT and POD activity, resulting in increased biomass under stress. Furthermore, we observed that the synergistic effects of the Pb+Pyrene mixture negatively impacted the adaptability of clonal integration. Our study underscores the role of clonal integration in maintaining photosynthesis and supporting the success of clonal plants in toxic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Liu
- School of Environment, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China; (Y.L.); (S.X.)
| | - Sunan Xu
- School of Environment, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China; (Y.L.); (S.X.)
| | - Xuemei Li
- College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China;
| | - Lihong Zhang
- School of Environment, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China; (Y.L.); (S.X.)
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Duan SJ, Du J, Yu DW, Pei XJ, Yin DQ, Wang SJ, Tao QZ, Dan Y, Zhang XC, Deng J, Chen JS, Wei Q, Lei NF. Clonal integration of stress signal induces morphological and physiological response of root within clonal network. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298258. [PMID: 38446823 PMCID: PMC10917298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Clonal integration of defense or stress signal induced systemic resistance in leaf of interconnected ramets. However, similar effects of stress signal in root are poorly understood within clonal network. Clonal fragments of Centella asiaticas with first-young, second-mature, third-old and fourth-oldest ramets were used to investigate transportation or sharing of stress signal among interconnected ramets suffering from low water availability. Compared with control, oxidative stress in root of the first-young, second-mature and third-old ramets was significantly alleviated by exogenous ABA application to the fourth-oldest ramets as well as enhancement of antioxidant enzyme (SOD, POD, CAT and APX) activities and osmoregulation ability. Surface area and volume in root of the first-young ramets were significantly increased and total length in root of the third-old ramets was significantly decreased. POD activity in root of the fourth-oldest and third-old ramets was significantly enhanced by exogenous ABA application to the first-young ramets. Meanwhile, total length and surface area in root of the fourth-oldest and third-old ramets were significantly decreased. Ratio of belowground to aboveground biomass in the whole clonal fragments was significantly increased by exogenous ABA application to the fourth-oldest or first-young ramets. It is suggested that transportation or sharing of stress signal may induce systemic resistance in root of interconnected ramets. Specially, transportation or sharing of stress signal against phloem flow was observed in the experiment. Possible explanation is that rapid recovery of foliar photosynthesis in first-young ramets subjected to exogenous ABA application can partially reverse phloem flow within clonal network. Thus, our experiment provides insight into ecological implication on clonal integration of stress signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Juan Duan
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Du
- Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve Administration, Sichuan, China
| | - Dong-Wei Yu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Pei
- College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Da-Qiu Yin
- Huaneng Tibet Yarlung Zangbo River Hydropower Development and Investment Co., Ltd, Lhasa, China
| | - Shi-Jun Wang
- Huaneng Tibet Yarlung Zangbo River Hydropower Development and Investment Co., Ltd, Lhasa, China
| | - Qi-Zhong Tao
- Huaneng Tibet Yarlung Zangbo River Hydropower Development and Investment Co., Ltd, Lhasa, China
| | - Yi Dan
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao-Chao Zhang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Deng
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jin-Song Chen
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing Wei
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ning-Fei Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China
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Guo J, Li H, Yang Y, Yang X. Clonal dominant grass Leymus chinensis benefits more from physiological integration in sexual reproduction than its main companions in a meadow. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1205166. [PMID: 37636095 PMCID: PMC10452009 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1205166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The bioecological characteristics of plants determine their status and role in the community. The advantages of dominant species in the community compared with companion species in terms of physiological and ecological characteristics remain unclear. When both dominant and companion species in grassland plant communities are clonal, these plants are able to share resources within clones (physiological integration). However, it is unclear how the clonal dominant and companion species differ in the effect of their physiological integration on sexual reproduction. We chose Leymus chinensis, the dominant species of the most widespread meadow plant communities in the semiarid and arid regions of northern China, and its main companion species L. secalinus, Calamagrostis ripidula, C. pseudophragmites, and C. epigeios and conducted a series of in situ field experiments in a homogeneous environment, including the determination of the phenotypic characteristics of reproductive ramets with connected (allowing physiological integration) and disconnected (preventing integration) tillering nodes for each species, as well as 15N leaf labeling of ramet pairs at the milk-ripe stage. In the clonal populations of the five grasses, physiological integration between vegetative ramets and reproductive ramets interconnected by tillering nodes significantly increased the leaf, stem, inflorescence and ramet biomasses of reproductive ramets, and relative changes in ramet biomass were greatest in L. chinensis. 15N labeling showed that vegetative ramets supplied nutrients to reproductive ramets through tillering nodes; the amount of translocated 15N per unit of reproductive ramet biomass was highest in L. chinensis. Overall, our results indicate that in the five clonal grasses, physiological integration between functionally different ramets under tillering node connections had a significant positive effect on sexual reproduction, indicating interspecific consistency in the contribution of physiological integration to sexual reproduction between the dominant and companion species, but this positive effect was greater in the dominant species L. chinensis than in the four main companion species. Therefore, differences in the physiological integration ability between the dominant and main companion species, identified for the first time in this study, may explain, at least partly, the dominance of L. chinensis in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Guo
- School of Environmental Engineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Haiyan Li
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunfei Yang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuechen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, China
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Tong L, Wu W, Lin Y, Chen D, Zeng R, Lu L, Song Y. Insect Herbivory on Main Stem Enhances Induced Defense of Primary Tillers in Rice ( Oryza sativa L.). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1199. [PMID: 36904060 PMCID: PMC10005496 DOI: 10.3390/plants12051199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Clonal plants are interconnected to form clonal plant networks with physiological integration, enabling the reassignment as well as sharing of resources among the members. The systemic induction of antiherbivore resistance via clonal integration may frequently operate in the networks. Here, we used an important food crop rice (Oryza sativa), and its destructive pest rice leaffolder (LF; Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) as a model to examine defense communication between the main stem and clonal tillers. LF infestation and MeJA pretreatment on the main stem for two days reduced the weight gain of LF larvae fed on the corresponding primary tillers by 44.5% and 29.0%, respectively. LF infestation and MeJA pretreatment on the main stem also enhanced antiherbivore defense responses in primary tillers: increased levels of a trypsin protease inhibitor, putative defensive enzymes, and jasmonic acid (JA), a key signaling compound involved in antiherbivore induced defenses; strong induction of genes encoding JA biosynthesis and perception; and rapid activation of JA pathway. However, in a JA perception OsCOI RNAi line, LF infestation on main stem showed no or minor effects on antiherbivore defense responses in primary tillers. Our work demonstrates that systemic antiherbivore defense operate in the clonal network of rice plants and JA signaling plays a crucial role in mediating defense communication between main stem and tillers in rice plants. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the ecological control of pests by using the systemic resistance of cloned plants themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wanghui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Forest Inventory & Planning Institute, Nanning 530022, China
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yibin Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Daoqian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rensen Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Long Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Sharifi R, Ryu C. Social networking in crop plants: Wired and wireless cross-plant communications. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:1095-1110. [PMID: 33274469 PMCID: PMC8049059 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The plant-associated microbial community (microbiome) has an important role in plant-plant communications. Plants decipher their complex habitat situations by sensing the environmental stimuli and molecular patterns and associated with microbes, herbivores and dangers. Perception of these cues generates inter/intracellular signals that induce modifications of plant metabolism and physiology. Signals can also be transferred between plants via different mechanisms, which we classify as wired- and wireless communications. Wired communications involve direct signal transfers between plants mediated by mycorrhizal hyphae and parasitic plant stems. Wireless communications involve plant volatile emissions and root exudates elicited by microbes/insects, which enable inter-plant signalling without physical contact. These producer-plant signals induce microbiome adaptation in receiver plants via facilitative or competitive mechanisms. Receiver plants eavesdrop to anticipate responses to improve fitness against stresses. An emerging body of information in plant-plant communication can be leveraged to improve integrated crop management under field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouhallah Sharifi
- Department of Plant ProtectionCollege of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi UniversityKermanshahIran
| | - Choong‐Min Ryu
- Molecular Phytobacteriology LaboratoryInfectious Disease Research Center, KRIBBDaejeonSouth Korea
- Biosystem and Bioengineering ProgramUniversity of Science and Technology (UST)DaejeonSouth Korea
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Adomako MO, Alpert P, Du DL, Yu FH. Effects of fragmentation of clones compound over vegetative generations in the floating plant Pistia stratiotes. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 127:123-133. [PMID: 32805737 PMCID: PMC7750722 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Clonal plants dominate many plant communities, especially in aquatic systems, and clonality appears to promote invasiveness and to affect how diversity changes in response to disturbance and resource availability. Understanding how the special physiological and morphological properties of clonal growth lead to these ecological effects depends upon studying the long-term consequences of clonal growth properties across vegetative generations, but this has rarely been done. This study aimed to show how a key clonal property, physiological integration between connected ramets within clones, affects the response of clones to disturbance and resources in an aquatic, invasive, dominant species across multiple generations. METHODS Single, parental ramets of the floating stoloniferous plant Pistia stratiotes were grown for 3 weeks, during which they produced two or three generations of offspring; connections between new ramets were cut or left intact. Individual offspring were then used as parents in a second 3-week iteration that crossed fragmentation with previous fragmentation in the first iteration. A third iteration yielded eight treatment combinations, zero to three rounds of fragmentation at different times in the past. The experiment was run once at a high and once at a low level of nutrients. RESULTS In each iteration, fragmentation increased biomass of the parental ramet, decreased biomass of the offspring and increased number of offspring. These effects persisted and compounded from one iteration to another, though more recent fragmentation had stronger effects, and were stronger at the low than at the high nutrient level. Fragmentation did not affect net accumulation of mass by groups after one iteration but increased it after two iterations at low nutrients, and after three iterations at both nutrient levels. CONCLUSIONS Both the positive and negative effects of fragmentation on clonal performance can compound and persist over time and can be stronger when resource levels are lower. Even when fragmentation has no short-term net effect on clonal performance, it can have a longer-term effect. In some cases, fragmentation may increase total accumulation of mass by a clone. The results provide the first demonstration of how physiological integration in clonal plants can affect fitness across generations and suggest that increased disturbance may promote invasion of introduced clonal species via effects on integration, perhaps especially at lower nutrient levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Opoku Adomako
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, China
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Academy of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Peter Alpert
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Dao-Lin Du
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Academy of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, China
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Liu J, Chen C, Pan Y, Zhang Y, Gao Y. The Intensity of Simulated Grazing Modifies Costs and Benefits of Physiological Integration in a Rhizomatous Clonal Plant. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E2724. [PMID: 32326471 PMCID: PMC7215795 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Clonal plants in grasslands are special species with physiological integration which can enhance their ability to tolerate herbivory stress especially in heterogeneous environments. However, little is known about how grazing intensity affects the trade-off between the benefits and costs of physiological integration, and the mechanism by which physiological integration improves compensatory growth in response to herbivory stress. We examined the effects of simulated grazing intensity on compensatory growth and physiological integration in a clonal species Leymus chinensis with a greenhouse experiment. This experiment was conducted in a factorial design involving nutrient heterogeneity (high-high, high-low, low-high, low-low), simulated grazing by clipping (0%, 25%, 50% or 75% shoot removal) and rhizome connection (intact versus severed) treatments. Compensatory indexes at 25% and 50% clipping levels were higher than that at 75% clipping level except in low-low nutrient treatments. Physiological integration decreased and increased compensatory indexes when the target-ramets worked as exporter and importer, respectively. Generally, clipping increased both benefits and costs of physiological integration, but its net benefits (benefits minus costs) changed with clipping intensity. Physiological integration optimized compensatory growth at light and moderate clipping intensity, and its net benefits determined the high capacity of compensatory growth. Grassland managements such as grazing or mowing at light and moderate intensity would maximize the profit of physiological integration and improve grassland sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ying Gao
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (J.L.); (C.C.); (Y.P.); (Y.Z.)
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Lu HZ, Brooker R, Song L, Liu WY, Sack L, Zhang JL, Yu FH. When facilitation meets clonal integration in forest canopies. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:135-142. [PMID: 31571219 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have explored how - within the same system - clonality and positive plant-plant interactions might interact to regulate plant community composition. Canopy-dwelling epiphytes in species-rich forests provide an ideal system for studying this because many epiphytic vascular plants undertake clonal growth and because vascular epiphytes colonize canopy habitats after the formation of nonvascular epiphyte (i.e. bryophyte and lichen) mats. We investigated how clonal integration of seven dominant vascular epiphytes influenced inter-specific interactions between vascular epiphytes and nonvascular epiphytes in a subtropical montane moist forest in southwest China. Both clonal integration and environmental buffering from nonvascular epiphytes increased survival and growth of vascular epiphytes. The benefits of clonal integration for vascular epiphytes were higher when nonvascular epiphytes were removed. Similarly, facilitation from nonvascular epiphytes played a more important role when clonal integration of vascular epiphytes was eliminated. Overall, clonal integration had greater benefits than inter-specific facilitation. This study provides novel evidence for interactive effects of clonality and facilitation between vascular and nonvascular species, and has implications for our understanding of a wide range of ecosystems where both high levels of clonality and facilitation are expected to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Zheng Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Rob Brooker
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Liang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
| | - Wen-Yao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
| | - Lawren Sack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
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10
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Winkler DE, Lin MYC, Delgadillo J, Chapin KJ, Huxman TE. Early life history responses and phenotypic shifts in a rare endemic plant responding to climate change. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz076. [PMID: 31687148 PMCID: PMC6822542 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Changes in species ranges are anticipated with climate change, where in alpine settings, fragmentation and contraction are likely. This is especially true in high altitude biodiversity hotspots, where warmer growing seasons and increased drought events may negatively impact populations by limiting regeneration. Here, we test for high-altitude species responses to the interactive effects of warming and drought in Heterotheca brandegeei, a perennial cushion plant endemic to alpine outcroppings in Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park, Baja California, México. We exposed H. brandegeei seedlings to experimental warming and drought conditions to document early life history responses and the species ability to tolerate climate change. Drought negatively influenced seedling growth, with overall reductions in above- and belowground biomass. Warming and drought each led to substantial reductions in leaf development. At the same time, individuals maintained high specific leaf area and carbon investment in leaves across treatments, suggesting that existing phenotypic variation within populations may be high enough to withstand climate change. However, warming and drought interacted to negatively influence leaf-level water-use efficiency (WUE). Seedling mortality rates were nearly three times higher in warming and drought treatments, suggesting bleak prospects for H. brandegeei populations in future climate conditions. Overall, our results suggest H. brandegeei populations may experience substantial declines under future warmer and drier conditions. Some individuals may be able to establish, albeit, as smaller, more stressed plants. These results further suggest that warming alone may not be as consequential to populations as drought will be in this already water-limited system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Winkler
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 321 Steinhaus Hall, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- United States Geological Survey, 2290 S West Resource Boulevard, Southwest Biological Science Center, UT, 84532, USA
| | | | - José Delgadillo
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, 22800, México
| | - Kenneth J Chapin
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210088, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Travis E Huxman
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 321 Steinhaus Hall, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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Wei Q, Li Q, Jin Y, Wu S, Fan L, Lei N, Chen J. Transportation or sharing of stress signals among interconnected ramets improves systemic resistance of clonal networks to water stress. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2019; 46:613-623. [PMID: 31010459 DOI: 10.1071/fp18232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have elucidated the mechanisms, ecological implications and constraints on transportation or sharing of defence signals among interconnected ramets of clonal plants suffering from localised herbivore damage. To our knowledge, few studies have been conducted to provide insights into the ecological implications on transportation or sharing of stress signals for clonal plants subjected to water stress. As a chemical elicitor, ABA can induce resistance response in plants suffering from water stress. A pot experiment was conducted to explore transportation or sharing of stress signals among interconnected ramets by using clonal fragments of Centella asiaticas (L.) Urban with four successive ramets (oldest, old, mature and young) subjected to low water availability (20% soil moisture contents). Compared with control, foliar oxidative stress of the old, mature and young ramets significantly decreased, and antioxidant capacity was increased when exogenous ABA was applied to the oldest ramets. Meanwhile, foliar PSII activity and chlorophyll content of the old, mature and young ramets significantly increased. Compared with control, biomass accumulation and ratio of below-ground/aboveground biomass of whole clonal fragments were significantly increased by ABA application to the oldest ramets. However, similar patterns were not observed when exogenous ABA was applied to the young ramets. Our results show that transportation or sharing of stress signals among interconnected ramets improves systemic resistance of clonal networks to water stress, which is dependent on directionality of vascular flows. Compared with the old or mature ramets, the young ramets displayed stronger resistance response (such as higher antioxidant enzymes activities and proline content, lower O2•- production rate and malondialdehyde content) to water stress as well as higher PSII activity and chlorophyll content when exogenous ABA was applied to the oldest ramets. Thus, transportation or sharing of stress signals may favour young ramets that are most valuable for growth and fitness of clonal plant subjected to environmental stress. It is suggested that transportation or sharing of stress signals among interconnected ramets may confer clonal plants with considerable benefits in adapting to spatio-temporal heterogeneous habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Wei
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Qian Li
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yu Jin
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Shulan Wu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Lihua Fan
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Ningfei Lei
- College of Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610000, China; and Corresponding authors. Emails: ;
| | - Jinsong Chen
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China; and Corresponding authors. Emails: ;
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12
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Lin HF, Alpert P, Zhang Q, Yu FH. Facilitation of amphibious habit by physiological integration in the clonal, perennial, climbing herb Ipomoea aquatica. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 618:262-268. [PMID: 29128776 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Physiological integration of connected ramets of clonal plants can increase clonal performance when ramets grow in contrasting microenvironments within a habitat. In amphibious clonal species, integration of ramets in different habitats, terrestrial and aquatic, is possible. This may increase performance of amphibious clones, especially under eutrophic conditions. To test this, clonal fragments consisting of two ramets of the amphibious, perennial, climbing herb Ipomoea aquatica connected by a stem were placed such that the proximal ramet was rooted in a simulated riparian community of four other species, while the distal ramet extended into a simulated aquatic habitat with open water and sediment. The connection between ramets was either left intact or severed, and 0, 5, or 25mg N L-1 was added to the aquatic habitat to simulate different degrees of eutrophication. Without added N, fragments in which the original ramets were left connected accumulated two times more total mass than fragments in which the ramets were disconnected from one another. The positive effect of connection increased two-fold with increasing N. These results were consistent with the hypotheses that physiological integration between connected terrestrial and aquatic ramets can increase clonal performance in plants and that this effect can be greater when the aquatic ramet is richer in nutrients. Connection reduced root to shoot ratio in terrestrial ramets, but increased it in aquatic ones, suggesting that physiological integration induced a division of labor in which terrestrial ramets specialized for light acquisition and aquatic ramets specialized for acquisition of nutrients. This provides the first report of increase in clonal performance and induction of division of labor due to physiological integration between ramets in different habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Feng Lin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Peter Alpert
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Qian Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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13
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Escandón AB, Rojas R, Morales LV, Corcuera LJ, Coopman RE, Paula S. Physiological differences between root suckers and saplings enlarge the regeneration niche in Eucryphia cordifolia Cav. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 38:129-138. [PMID: 29036408 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpx107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Many clonal plants produce vegetative recruits that remain connected to the parent plant. Such connections permit resource sharing among ramets, explaining the high survival rates of vegetative recruits during establishment under suboptimal conditions for sexual regeneration. We propose that differences in the regeneration niches of sexual and vegetative recruits reflect different physiological adjustments caused by parental supply of resources to the ramets. We conducted ecophysiological measurements in saplings and root suckers of Eucryphia cordifolia Cav., a tree species of the temperate rainforest of southern South America. We compared the following traits of saplings and suckers: gas exchange at the leaf level, crown architecture, daily crown carbon balance, biomass allocation to above-ground tissues (leaf-to-stem mass ratio, leaf mass area and leaf area ratio), xylem anatomy traits (lumen vessel fraction, vessel density and size) and stem ring width. We also correlated the growth rates of saplings and suckers with relevant environmental data (light and climate). Saplings showed morphological, architectural and physiological traits that enhance daily crown carbon balance and increase water-use efficiency, in order to supply their growth demands while minimizing water loss per unit of carbon gained. The radial growth of saplings diminished under dry conditions, which suggests a strong stomatal sensitivity to water availability. Suckers have low stomatal conductance, likely because the carbon supplied by the parent plant diminishes the necessity of high rates of photosynthesis. The low responsiveness of sucker growth to temporal changes in water availability also supports the existence of parental supply. The physiological differences between sexual and vegetative recruits satisfactorily explain the ecological niche of E. cordifolia, with saplings restricted to more closed and humid sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio B Escandón
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Roke Rojas
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología para la Conservación de Bosques, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Loreto V Morales
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología para la Conservación de Bosques, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis J Corcuera
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rafael E Coopman
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología para la Conservación de Bosques, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Susana Paula
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile, Avenida Rector Eduardo Morales Miranda, Edificio Pugín, oficina 341, Valdivia, Chile
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Dong BC, Fu T, Luo FL, Yu FH. Herbivory-induced maternal effects on growth and defense traits in the clonal species Alternanthera philoxeroides. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 605-606:114-123. [PMID: 28662425 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved a variety of defense traits against foliar herbivory, including the production of primary and secondary metabolites, the allocation of chemical compounds, and morphological plasticity. Using two vegetative generations of the invasive clonal species Alternanthera philoxeroides, we investigated the effects of maternal and offspring herbivory by Planococcus minor on the integrative defense strategy of plants. Herbivory severely inhibited leaf, stolon and root growth, as well as the production of primary metabolites (soluble sugars, starch, and total non-structural carbohydrates in stolons), and decreased average leaf area and specific leaf area of the second-generation A. philoxeroides. The changes in growth measures of the first-generation A. philoxeroides with herbivory were consistent with that of the second generation. By contrast, herbivory basically did not affect the concentration of non-structural carbohydrate compounds in the roots, and even increased the concentrations of N and total phenols in taproots. Furthermore, herbivory-induced maternal effects also reduced the growth of the second-generation plants. The results suggest that A. philoxeroides is capable of adapting to herbivory by P. minor, mainly via the allocation of available resources in belowground organs, and that the herbivory effect can persist across vegetative generations. These features may potentially improve the regeneration and tolerance of A. philoxeroides after a short-term herbivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bi-Cheng Dong
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Ting Fu
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Fang-Li Luo
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
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15
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Wang YJ, Müller-Schärer H, van Kleunen M, Cai AM, Zhang P, Yan R, Dong BC, Yu FH. Invasive alien plants benefit more from clonal integration in heterogeneous environments than natives. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 216:1072-1078. [PMID: 28944478 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
What confers invasive alien plants a competitive advantage over native plants remains open to debate. Many of the world's worst invasive alien plants are clonal and able to share resources within clones (clonal integration), particularly in heterogeneous environments. Here, we tested the hypothesis that clonal integration benefits invasive clonal plants more than natives and thus confers invasives a competitive advantage. We selected five congeneric and naturally co-occurring pairs of invasive alien and native clonal plants in China, and grew pairs of connected and disconnected ramets under heterogeneous light, soil nutrient and water conditions that are commonly encountered by alien plants during their invasion into new areas. Clonal integration increased biomass of all plants in all three heterogeneous resource environments. However, invasive plants benefited more from clonal integration than natives. Consequently, invasive plants produced more biomass than natives. Our results indicate that clonal integration may confer invasive alien clonal plants a competitive advantage over natives. Therefore, differences in the ability of clonal integration could potentially explain, at least partly, the invasion success of alien clonal plants in areas where resources are heterogeneously distributed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Jian Wang
- College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Heinz Müller-Schärer
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
| | - Mark van Kleunen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
- Ecology, Biology Department, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
| | - Ai-Ming Cai
- College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Rong Yan
- College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Bi-Cheng Dong
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
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16
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Luo FL, Xing YP, Wei GW, Li CY, Yu FH. Clonal integration facilitates spread of Paspalum paspaloides from terrestrial to cadmium-contaminated aquatic habitats. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2017; 19:859-867. [PMID: 28836322 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous environmental pollutant with high toxicity to plants, which has been detected in many wetlands. Clonal integration (resource translocation) between connected ramets of clonal plants can increase their tolerance to stress. We hypothesised that clonal integration facilitates spread of amphibious clonal plants from terrestrial to Cd-contaminated aquatic habitats. The spread of an amphibious grass Paspalum paspaloides was simulated by growing basal older ramets in uncontaminated soil connected (allowing integration) or not connected (preventing integration) to apical younger ramets of the same fragments in Cd-contaminated water. Cd contamination of apical ramets of P. paspaloides markedly decreased growth and photosynthetic capacity of the apical ramets without connection to the basal ramets, but did not decrease these properties with connection. Cd contamination did not affect growth of the basal ramets without connection to the apical ramets, but Cd contamination of 4 and 12 mg·l-1 significantly increased growth with connection. Consequently, clonal integration increased growth of the apical ramets, basal ramets and whole clones when the apical ramets were grown in Cd-contaminated water of 4 and 12 mg·l-1 . Cd was detected in the basal ramets with connection to the apical ramets, suggesting Cd could be translocated due to clonal integration. Clonal integration, most likely through translocation of photosynthates, can support P. paspaloides to spread from terrestrial to Cd-contaminated aquatic habitats. Amphibious clonal plants with a high ability for clonal integration are particularly useful for re-vegetation of degraded aquatic habitats caused by Cd contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- F-L Luo
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Y-P Xing
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - G-W Wei
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - C-Y Li
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - F-H Yu
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
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17
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Wang P, Li H, Pang XY, Wang A, Dong BC, Lei JP, Yu FH, Li MH. Clonal integration increases tolerance of a phalanx clonal plant to defoliation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 593-594:236-241. [PMID: 28343043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Defoliation by herbivores commonly imposes negative effects on plants, and physiological integration (resource sharing) can enhance the ability of guerilla clonal plants to tolerate stresses. Here we examined whether physiological integration can increase the ability of phalanx clonal plants to withstand defoliation. On a high mountain grassland in southwestern China, we subjected the phalanx clonal plant Iris delavayi within 10cm×10cm plots to three levels of defoliation intensity, i.e., control (no defoliation), moderate (50% shoot removal to simulate moderate herbivory) and heavy defoliation (100% shoot removal to simulate heavy herbivory), and kept rhizomes at the plot edges connected (allowing physiological integration) or disconnected (preventing integration) with intact ramets outside the plots. Defoliation significantly reduced leaf biomass, root biomass and ramet number of I. delavayi. Clonal integration did not affect the growth of I. delavayi under control, but significantly increased total biomass, rhizome and root biomass under heavy defoliation, and leaf biomass and ramet number under moderate defoliation. We conclude that clonal integration associated with resource reallocation plays an important role in maintaining the productivity of the alpine and subalpine grassland ecosystems in SW China where clonal plants are a dominant component of the grasslands and are commonly extensively managed with moderate grazing intensity. Our results also help to better understand the adaption and tolerance of phalanx clonal plants subjected to long-term grazing in the high mountain environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huan Li
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Pang
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Ao Wang
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bi-Cheng Dong
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jing-Pin Lei
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Mai-He Li
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Institute of Applied Ecology, 110061 Shenyang, China
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Saixiyala, Yang D, Zhang S, Liu G, Yang X, Huang Z, Ye X. Facilitation by a Spiny Shrub on a Rhizomatous Clonal Herbaceous in Thicketization-Grassland in Northern China: Increased Soil Resources or Shelter from Herbivores. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:809. [PMID: 28559913 PMCID: PMC5432564 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2024]
Abstract
The formation of fertility islands by shrubs increases soil resources heterogeneity in thicketization-grasslands. Clonal plants, especially rhizomatous or stoloniferous clonal plants, can form large clonal networks and use heterogeneously distributed resources effectively. In addition, shrubs, especially spiny shrubs, may also provide herbaceous plants with protection from herbivores, acting as 'shelters'. The interaction between pre-dominated clonal herbaceous plants and encroaching shrubs remains unclear in thicketization-grassland under grazing pressure. We hypothesized that clonal herbaceous plants can be facilitated by encroached shrubs as a 'shelter from herbivores' and/or as an 'increased soil resources' under grazing pressure. To test this hypothesis, a total of 60 quadrats were chosen in a thicket-grassland in northern China that was previously dominated by Leymus chinensis and was encroached upon by the spiny leguminous plant Caragana intermedia. The soil and plant traits beneath and outside the shrub canopies were sampled, investigated and contrasted with an enclosure. The soil organic matter, soil total nitrogen and soil water content were significantly higher in the soil beneath the shrub canopies than in the soil outside the canopies. L. chinensis beneath the shrub canopies had significantly higher plant height, single shoot biomass, leaf length and width than outside the shrub canopies. There were no significantly differences between plant growth in enclosure and outside the shrub canopies. These results suggested that under grazing pressure in a grassland undergoing thicketization, the growth of the rhizomatous clonal herbaceous plant L. chinensis was facilitated by the spiny shrub C. intermedia as a 'shelter from herbivores' more than through 'increased soil resources'. We propose that future studies should focus on the community- and ecosystem-level impacts of plant clonality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saixiyala
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry SciencesHohhot, China
| | - Ding Yang
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry SciencesHohhot, China
| | - Shudong Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Guofang Liu
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Xuejun Yang
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Zhenying Huang
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Xuehua Ye
- Inner Mongolia Research Center for Prataculture, State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
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19
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Kang J, Zhao W, Zhao M. Remediation of blowouts by clonal plants in Maqu degraded alpine grasslands of northwest China. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2017; 130:291-299. [PMID: 27909827 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-016-0884-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The sand-fixation of plants is considered to be the most effective and fundamental measure in desertification control in many arid and semi-arid regions. Carex brunnescens (Carex spp) and Leymus secalinus (Leymus), two perennial clonal herbs native to the Maqu degraded alpine areas of northwest China, are dominant and constructive species in active sand dunes that have excellent adaptability to fix sand dunes found to date. In order to study the ability and mechanism of sandland blowout remediation by two clone plants C. brunnescens and L. secalinus, the artificially emulated blowouts were set up in the populations of two clonal plants in the field. The results showed that both C. brunnescens and L. secalinus produced more new ramets in the artificially emulated blowouts than in the natural conditions, suggesting that the two clonal plants had strong ability in blowouts remediation; while the biomass, number of leaves and height of new ramets in the artificially emulated blowouts were less than in the natural conditions due to the restriction of poor nutrients in the artificially emulated blowouts. The ability of blowouts remediation by C. brunnescens was stronger than L. secalinus, as it generated more new ramets than L. secalinus in the process of blowouts remediation. The new ramets of L. secalinus in the blowouts remediation were mainly generated by the buds in the rhizomes which spread from outside of the blowouts; while those of C. brunnescens were generated both by the buds in the rhizomes which spread from outside, and by the buds in the rhizomes inside which were freed from dormancy in the deeper soil under wind erosion conditions. These findings suggest that through rapid clonal expansion capability, C. brunnescens and L. secalinus exhibited strong ability in blowouts remediation which can be one of the most effective strategies to restore and reconstruct degraded vegetations in Maqu alpine areas of northwest China.
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Affiliation(s)
- JianJun Kang
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Key Laboratory of Inland River Basin Ecohydrology, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
| | - WenZhi Zhao
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Key Laboratory of Inland River Basin Ecohydrology, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China.
| | - Ming Zhao
- Gansu Research Academy of Forestry Science and Technology, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
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20
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Effects of clonal integration on the invasive clonal plant Alternanthera philoxeroides under heterogeneous and homogeneous water availability. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29767. [PMID: 27416868 PMCID: PMC4945919 DOI: 10.1038/srep29767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Many notorious invasive plants are clonal, living in heterogeneous or homogeneous habitats. To understand how clonal integration affects the performance of these plants in different habitat conditions, an 8-week greenhouse experiment was conducted: ramet pairs of A. philoxeroides were grown in two habitats, either heterogeneous or homogeneous in water availability, with the stolon connections either severed or kept intact. Under heterogeneous water availability, compared with ramets in homogeneous habitats, clonal integration significantly promoted the growth and photosynthetic performance of water-stressed apical ramets, whereas it only increased the photosynthetic performance but did not affect the growth of water-stressed basal ramets. Moreover, clonal integration markedly increased the root/shoot ratios of ramets grown in habitats with high water supply but decreased it under low water availability. Under homogeneous water availability, stolon connection (clonal integration) did not influence the growth, photosynthetic performance and biomass allocation of water-stressed ramets, but it significantly promoted the growth of well-watered ramets in both apical and basal sections. These findings deepen our understanding of the bidirectional and differentiated (mainly acropetal) clonal integration of A. philoxeroides, suggesting that the invasive plant A. philoxeroides can benefit from clonal integration in both heterogeneous and homogeneous habitats.
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21
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Lechuga-Lago Y, Sixto-Ruiz M, Roiloa SR, González L. Clonal integration facilitates the colonization of drought environments by plant invaders. AOB PLANTS 2016; 8:plw023. [PMID: 27154623 PMCID: PMC4925925 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plw023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Biological invasion represents one of the main threats for biodiversity conservation at the global scale. Identifying the mechanisms underlying the process of biological invasions is a crucial objective in the prediction of scenarios of future invasions and the mitigation of their impacts. In this sense, some plant attributes might better explain the success of invasive plant species than others. Recently, clonal growth has been identified as an attribute that could contribute to the invasiveness of plants. In this experiment, we aim to determine the effect of physiological integration (one of the most striking attributes associated with clonal growth) in the performance (at morphological and physiological levels) of the aggressive invader Carpobrotus edulis, when occupying stressful environments. To achieve this objective we performed a greenhouse experiment in which apical ramets of C. edulis were water-stressed and the connection with the basal ramets was either left intact (physiological integration is allowed) or severed (physiological integration is impeded). Our results show that clonal integration allowed apical ramets to buffer drought stress in terms of photochemical activity, and as a consequence, to increase their growth in comparison with severed apical ramets. Interestingly, this increase in biomass was mainly due to the production of aboveground structures, increasing the spread along the soil surface, and consequently having important implications for the colonization success of new environments by this aggressive invader.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaiza Lechuga-Lago
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, University of Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
| | - Marta Sixto-Ruiz
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, University of Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
| | - Sergio R Roiloa
- BioCost Group, Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña 15071, Spain
| | - Luís González
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, University of Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
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Zhang H, Liu F, Wang R, Liu J. Roles of Clonal Integration in both Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Habitats. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:551. [PMID: 27200026 DOI: 10.1086/687225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that clonal integration can promote the performance of clonal plants in heterogeneous habitats, but the roles of clonal integration in both heterogeneous and homogeneous habitats were rarely studied simultaneously. Ramet pairs of Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb were placed in two habitats either heterogeneous or homogeneous in soil nutrient availability, with stolon connections left intact or severed. Total biomass, total length of stolons, and number of new ramets of distal (relatively young) ramets located in low-nutrient environments were significantly greater when the distal ramets were connected to than when they were disconnected from proximal (relatively old) ramets located in high-nutrient environments. Total length of stolons of proximal ramets growing in low-nutrient environments was significantly higher when the proximal ramets were connected to than when they were disconnected from the distal ramets growing in high-nutrient environments, but stolon connection did not affect total biomass or number of new ramets of the proximal ramets. Stolon severing also did not affect the growth of the whole ramet pairs in heterogeneous environments. In homogeneous high-nutrient environments stolon severing promoted the growth of the proximal ramets and the ramet pairs, but in homogeneous low-nutrient environments it did not affect the growth of the proximal or distal ramets. Hence, for A. philoxeroides, clonal fragmentation appears to be more advantageous than clonal integration in resource-rich homogeneous habitats, and clonal integration becomes beneficial in heterogeneous habitats. Our study contributes to revealing roles of clonal integration in both heterogeneous and homogeneous habitats and expansion patterns of invasive clonal plants such as A. philoxeroides in multifarious habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijie Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Research, Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Fenghong Liu
- National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Renqing Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research, Shandong UniversityJinan, China; School of Life Sciences, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research, Shandong University Jinan, China
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Zhang H, Liu F, Wang R, Liu J. Roles of Clonal Integration in both Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Habitats. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:551. [PMID: 27200026 PMCID: PMC4845078 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that clonal integration can promote the performance of clonal plants in heterogeneous habitats, but the roles of clonal integration in both heterogeneous and homogeneous habitats were rarely studied simultaneously. Ramet pairs of Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb were placed in two habitats either heterogeneous or homogeneous in soil nutrient availability, with stolon connections left intact or severed. Total biomass, total length of stolons, and number of new ramets of distal (relatively young) ramets located in low-nutrient environments were significantly greater when the distal ramets were connected to than when they were disconnected from proximal (relatively old) ramets located in high-nutrient environments. Total length of stolons of proximal ramets growing in low-nutrient environments was significantly higher when the proximal ramets were connected to than when they were disconnected from the distal ramets growing in high-nutrient environments, but stolon connection did not affect total biomass or number of new ramets of the proximal ramets. Stolon severing also did not affect the growth of the whole ramet pairs in heterogeneous environments. In homogeneous high-nutrient environments stolon severing promoted the growth of the proximal ramets and the ramet pairs, but in homogeneous low-nutrient environments it did not affect the growth of the proximal or distal ramets. Hence, for A. philoxeroides, clonal fragmentation appears to be more advantageous than clonal integration in resource-rich homogeneous habitats, and clonal integration becomes beneficial in heterogeneous habitats. Our study contributes to revealing roles of clonal integration in both heterogeneous and homogeneous habitats and expansion patterns of invasive clonal plants such as A. philoxeroides in multifarious habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijie Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Research, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Fenghong Liu
- National Science Library, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Renqing Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
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Ye XH, Zhang YL, Liu ZL, Gao SQ, Song YB, Liu FH, Dong M. Plant Clonal Integration Mediates the Horizontal Redistribution of Soil Resources, Benefiting Neighboring Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:77. [PMID: 26904051 PMCID: PMC4742616 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Resources such as water taken up by plants can be released into soils through hydraulic redistribution and can also be translocated by clonal integration within a plant clonal network. We hypothesized that the resources from one (donor) microsite could be translocated within a clonal network, released into different (recipient) microsites and subsequently used by neighbor plants in the recipient microsite. To test these hypotheses, we conducted two experiments in which connected and disconnected ramet pairs of Potentilla anserina were grown under both homogeneous and heterogeneous water regimes, with seedlings of Artemisia ordosica as neighbors. The isotopes [(15)N] and deuterium were used to trace the translocation of nitrogen and water, respectively, within the clonal network. The water and nitrogen taken up by P. anserina ramets in the donor microsite were translocated into the connected ramets in the recipient microsites. Most notably, portions of the translocated water and nitrogen were released into the recipient microsite and were used by the neighboring A. ordosica, which increased growth of the neighboring A. ordosica significantly. Therefore, our hypotheses were supported, and plant clonal integration mediated the horizontal hydraulic redistribution of resources, thus benefiting neighboring plants. Such a plant clonal integration-mediated resource redistribution in horizontal space may have substantial effects on the interspecific relations and composition of the community and consequently on ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Hua Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Ya-Lin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Zhi-Lan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Shu-Qin Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yao-Bin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhou, China
| | - Feng-Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- National Science Library, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Ming Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhou, China
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Lu HZ, Song L, Liu WY, Xu XL, Hu YH, Shi XM, Li S, Ma WZ, Chang YF, Fan ZX, Lu SG, Wu Y, Yu FH. Survival and Growth of Epiphytic Ferns Depend on Resource Sharing. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:416. [PMID: 27066052 PMCID: PMC4814527 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Locally available resources can be shared within clonal plant systems through physiological integration, thus enhancing their survival and growth. Most epiphytes exhibit clonal growth habit, but few studies have tested effects of physiological integration (resource sharing) on survival and growth of epiphytes and whether such effects vary with species. We conducted two experiments, one on individuals (single ramets) and another on groups (several ramets within a plot), with severed and intact rhizome treatments (without and with physiological integration) on two dominant epiphytic ferns (Polypodiodes subamoena and Lepisorus scolopendrium) in a subtropical montane moist forest in Southwest China. Rhizome severing (preventing integration) significantly reduced ramet survival in the individual experiment and number of surviving ramets in the group experiment, and it also decreased biomass of both species in both experiments. However, the magnitude of such integration effects did not vary significantly between the two species. We conclude that resource sharing may be a general strategy for clonal epiphytes to adapt to forest canopies where resources are limited and heterogeneously distributed in space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Zheng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Liang Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
| | - Wen-Yao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
- *Correspondence: Wen-Yao Liu
| | - Xing-Liang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yue-Hua Hu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
| | - Xian-Meng Shi
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Su Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
| | - Wen-Zhang Ma
- Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming, China
| | - Yan-Fen Chang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
| | - Ze-Xin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
| | - Shu-Gang Lu
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan UniversityKunming, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesMengla, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
- Fei-Hai Yu
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Lu HZ, Liu WY, Yu FH, Song L, Xu XL, Wu CS, Zheng YL, Li YP, Gong HD, Chen K, Li S, Chen X, Qi JH, Lu SG. Higher clonal integration in the facultative epiphytic fern Selliguea griffithiana growing in the forest canopy compared with the forest understorey. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2015; 116:113-22. [PMID: 26050068 PMCID: PMC4479749 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcv059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The advantage of clonal integration (resource sharing between connected ramets of clonal plants) varies and a higher degree of integration is expected in more stressful and/or more heterogeneous habitats. Clonal facultative epiphytes occur in both forest canopies (epiphytic habitats) and forest understories (terrestrial habitats). Because environmental conditions, especially water and nutrients, are more stressful and heterogeneous in the canopy than in the understorey, this study hypothesizes that clonal integration is more important for facultative epiphytes in epiphytic habitats than in terrestrial habitats. METHODS In a field experiment, an examination was made of the effects of rhizome connection (connected vs. disconnected, i.e. with vs. without clonal integration) on survival and growth of single ramets, both young and old, of the facultative epiphytic rhizomatous fern Selliguea griffithiana (Polypodiaceae) in both epiphytic and terrestrial habitats. In another field experiment, the effects of rhizome connection on performance of ramets were tested in small (10 × 10 cm(2)) and large (20 × 20 cm(2)) plots in both epiphytic and terrestrial habitats. KEY RESULTS Rhizome disconnection significantly decreased survival and growth of S. griffithiana in both experiments. The effects of rhizome disconnection on survival of single ramets and on ramet number and growth in plots were greater in epiphytic habitats than in terrestrial habitats. CONCLUSIONS Clonal integration contributes greatly to performance of facultative epiphytic ferns, and the effects were more important in forest canopies than in forest understories. The results therefore support the hypothesis that natural selection favours genotypes with a higher degree of integration in more stressful and heterogeneous environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Zheng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wen-Yao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liang Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xing-Liang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chuan-Sheng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu-Long Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang-Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - He-De Gong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ke Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Su Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jin-Hua Qi
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shu-Gang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla 666303, China, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China, Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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27
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Dong
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Peter Alpert
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-9297, USA
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