Biomass allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs in Lotus glaber and L. corniculatus (Fabaceae)

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. R. Vignolio ◽  
O. N. Fernández ◽  
N. O. Maceira
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Specific Weight ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Reproductive Season ◽  
Lower Weight ◽  
Reproductive Biomass ◽  
Pod Length ◽  
Lotus Glaber

Comparative studies on reproductive and vegetative attributes between Lotus glaber Mill. and L. corniculatus L. showed that under identical growth conditions seed and pod production were higher in L. glaber than in L. corniculatus. The objective of this work was to determine whether differences in reproductive output between L. glaber and L. corniculatus are related to differences in biomass allocation and whether they can be related to the habitats of each species. We compared, in two studies, the allocation of vegetative and reproductive biomass of both species' growth in pots outdoors. The shoot to root ratio was higher in L. glaber than in L. corniculatus. Both species allocated the same biomass to stems but L. corniculatus produced fewer reproductive stems of higher specific weight. The number of pods per umbel and seeds per pod did not differ between species, but the total number of umbels, pods and seeds per plant were higher in L. glaber than in L. corniculatus. Weight per pod was higher in L. corniculatus than in L. glaber. The reproductive biomass in L. glaber was distributed in a higher number of pods and seeds that were of lower weight than in L. corniculatus. In both species, pod length and seed number per pod showed a decreasing trend during the reproductive season and both attributes were positively correlated. Some of the differences reported in reproductive and vegetative attributes are consistent with the conditions of habitat where each species grows. The results are discussed in relation to the agronomic values of these species and the factors determining their persistence and distribution in the grassland.

Reproductive biomass allocation in three Sargassum species

Oecologia ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. McCourt
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Reproductive Biomass

Patterns of fucoid reproductive biomass allocation

1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur C. Mathieson ◽  
Zhanyang Guo
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Reproductive Biomass

Growth responses of Urtica dioica to nutrient supply

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 843-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslav Šrůtek
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Nutrient Supply ◽  
Urtica Dioica ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Shoot Height ◽  
Key Words Allometry ◽  
P 16 ◽  
Lateral Branches

This study examines the effects of nutrient supply (three N–P–K treatments: 75, 225, and 375 kg∙ha−1; 12.5% N, 8.5% P, 16% K) on growth, allometry, and architecture of Urtica dioica L., an expansive clonal plant found throughout Central Europe. Biomass allocation was significantly affected by nutrient supply: higher nutrient doses resulted in less biomass allocation to belowground organs, whereas the period of intensive production of aboveground biomass was prolonged. Shoot height increases with nutrient supply. The height ratios were constant over time. Within each treatment and each harvest, inflorescence biomass was positively correlated with shoot height. Branching of the main shoots (number of lateral branches) was positively correlated with plant height and changed with time. The number of new rhizomes was affected by both treatment and harvest, especially in older plants. The results suggest that high nutrient supply increased the allocation of biomass both to reproductive organs and to vegetative organs. Key words: allometry, biomass allocation, clonal plant, nutrients, plant architecture, Urtica dioica.

Biomass allocation patterns and reproductive output of four Oenothera L. accessions native to Argentina

2008 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Vilela ◽  
L. González-Paleo ◽  
Déborah Rondanini ◽  
Damián Ravetta
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Allocation Patterns

The beneficial effect of ants on the reproductive success of Dyckia floribunda (Bromeliaceae), an extrafloral nectary plant

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
José L Vesprini ◽  
Leonardo Galetto ◽  
Gabriel Bernardello
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Extrafloral Nectaries ◽  
Perennial Herb ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Total Seed ◽  
Mutualistic Association

Dyckia floribunda is a perennial herb from the Argentinian Chaco with extrafloral nectaries. Ants visited these nectaries while patrolling inflorescences and infructescences. We anticipated that ants attracted to extrafloral nectaries might protect the reproductive organs, increasing plant reproductive output. To evaluate the possibility of mutualism between D. floribunda and ant visitors, we determined whether ant-accessible plants showed a higher seed production than ant-excluded plants. Experimental fieldwork suggested a decrease in fruit set of ant-excluded plants compared with ant-accessible plants but the seed number per fruit was not affected by ant exclusion. Thus, total seed number per plant was highly reduced in treated spikes. Analyses of covariance confirmed these trends, indicating that total seed production per plant was strongly affected by ant exclusion. This study marks the first experimental report of this mutualistic association in Bromeliaceae.Key words: ant–plant interaction, Bromeliaceae, Chaco, Dyckia floribunda, fruit set, seed set, mutualism.

scholarly journals Biomass allocation of chestnut oak (Quercus castaneifolia C.A. Mey) seedlings: effects of provenance and light gradient

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 443-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Babaei Sustani ◽  
S.G. Jalali ◽  
H. Sohrabi ◽  
A. Shirvani
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
High Irradiance ◽  
Growth Strategies ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Rainfall Gradient ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Light Gradient ◽  
Precipitation Regimes

Patterns of biomass allocation were determined for seedlings of five provenances of Quercus castaneifolia from west to east of the Hyrcanian forest along a rainfall gradient. Experimental design was executed under controlled conditions at seven different light levels (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 100% full light). We quantified the biomass allocation patterns to leaves, stems and roots. For all provenances total mass increased with irradiance at low light levels, reaching an optimum at an intermediate level but decreasing at a high irradiance level. As results show, in drier provenances and at high light levels, the seedlings invest more biomass into root mass to facilitate water uptake and to alter their leaf size to prevent overheating. In contrast, at wetter provenances and low light levels, towards increased light interception, more biomass is allocated proportionally to leaves and the stems but, accordingly, less to roots. The leaf to root ratio (L/R) was negatively correlated with light, with high correlation at wetter provenances compared to drier ones. In contrast, the relationship between the root to shoot (R/Sh) ratio and light was positively correlated with light, but it was weak at drier provenances and became gradually stronger at wetter ones. Such relationships indicated that chestnut oak seedling growth strategies are different along a rainfall gradient to irradiance levels. Despite similar growth conditions in the greenhouse, different growth strategies may be the result of genetic adaptation to the ecological conditions, especially when precipitation regimes prevail in the native habitat.  

Causes and consequences of arm damage in the sea star Leptasterias hexactis

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 596-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian L Bingham ◽  
Jennifer Burr ◽  
Herb Wounded Head
Keyword(s):  
Egg Production ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Puget Sound ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Reproductive Season ◽  
Rocky Intertidal ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Physical Disturbance ◽  
Study Sites

Leptasterias hexactis, a sea star common in rocky intertidal areas of Puget Sound, Washington, often has damaged or missing arms. We measured the frequency of arm damage in 5 populations and examined the causes and costs of the damage. Between 30 and 46% of L. hexactis found at the study sites were missing arms or parts of arms. Some of the damage, particularly when only parts of arms were missing, may result from physical disturbance (e.g., crushing). Most arm damage, however, appears to result from predation by the crab Cancer oregonensis. The ability to lose, or autotomize, arms has adaptive significance if it saves a sea star from death. However, it also carries costs. The greatest cost was a decrease in reproduction. Leptasterias hexactis missing arms showed a 44-69% drop in egg production 7 months after arm loss. The effect was still evident during the next reproductive season (19 months after arm loss). We estimate that natural levels of arm damage could decrease the reproductive output of a population of L. hexactis by 7-10%.

Biomass Allocation and Heavy Metal Distribution in Different Varieties of Maize (Zea Mays L.) under Lead and Cadmium Applications

2011 ◽  
Vol 343-344 ◽  
pp. 1152-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deng Gao Fu ◽  
Chun Jing Song ◽  
Chang Qun Duan ◽  
Cheng Tao Liu ◽  
Li Na Liu
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Zea Mays ◽  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Lead And Cadmium ◽  
National Guidance ◽  
Reproductive Biomass ◽  
Vegetative Biomass ◽  
Different Levels

The effects of low non-lethal levels of heavy metals (Pb and Cd) on biomass allocation, relationship between vegetative biomass and reproductive biomass, and heavy metal distributions in plant were investigated for three varieties of maize (Zea mays L.). Results showed that significant two-way interactions between variety and heavy-metal application were the main source of variation of biomass allocation. Different levels of Pb and Cd applications did not cause relatively more biomass to be allocated reproductive biomass in three varieties, indicating that heavy-metal applications did not change the reproductive allometry. Although the concentrations of Pb and Cd in grains were lower than other organs, Pb and Cd concentrations of grains under higher heavy-metal treatments exceeded the national guidance limit for three varieties of maize, suggesting heavy metal pollution may pose risks to human health.

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