Do Clonal Plants Show Greater Division of Labour Morphologically and Physiologically at Higher Patch Contrasts?
Author Information
Author(s): Wang Zhengwen, Li Yuanheng, Heinjo J., Li Linghao
Primary Institution: State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hypothesis
Can division of labour occur physiologically as well as morphologically in clonal plants, and will it increase with patch contrasts?
Conclusion
Division of labour in clonal plants can be realized by ramet specialization in morphology and physiology, but may require a threshold level of patch contrast.
Supporting Evidence
- Connected ramets showed higher chlorophyll content when connected to shaded ones with ample nutrients under high patch contrast.
- Disconnected shaded ramets with ample nutrients had significantly larger shoot-root ratios than fully-lit but nutrient-deficient ramets under high contrast.
- Total biomass of connected ramet pairs did not differ significantly from that of disconnected pairs at any patch contrast.
Takeaway
Clonal plants can work together better when they grow in different areas with different resources, but they need a big enough difference in those resources to really help each other.
Methodology
Connected and disconnected pairs of Potentilla anserina were subjected to different levels of light and nutrient availability to assess division of labour.
Potential Biases
The results may not apply to other genotypes or species due to the focus on a single genotype.
Limitations
The study was limited to a single genotype of Potentilla anserina, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The study involved clonal plants, specifically Potentilla anserina.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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