In:
Ecological Research, Wiley, Vol. 22, No. 3 ( 2007-05), p. 502-506
Abstract:
Clonal traits such as clonal integration and storage functions of rhizomes or stolons may provide clonal plants with additional advantages against grazing over non‐clonal plants. Here, we hypothesize that clonal species have a larger capacity for compensatory growth than co‐occurring non‐clonal species. In inland dunes in northern China, individual plants of two rhizomatous clonal species ( Bromus ircutensis and Psammochloa villosa ) and two non‐clonal ones ( Artemisia intramongolica and Astragalus melilotoides ) were subjected to 0% (control), 50% (moderate) and 90% (heavy) shoot removal. Compared with control, heavy clipping greatly increased the relative growth rate in Bromus and Psammochloa , but decreased that in Artemisia and Astragalus . Heavy clipping affected above‐ground dry weight and the number of modules more negatively in Artemisia and Astragalus than in Bromus and Psammochloa . These results support the hypothesis and suggest that clonal species are more tolerant to grazing than co‐occurring non‐clonal species in inland dunes.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0912-3814
,
1440-1703
DOI:
10.1007/s11284-007-0332-9
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2007
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2023900-2
SSG:
12
