Development, photosynthetic activity and habitat selection of the clonal plant Fragaria vesca growing in copper-polluted soil

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio R. Roiloa ◽  
Rubén Retuerto
Keyword(s):  
Process Integration ◽  
Photochemical Efficiency ◽  
Copper Toxicity ◽  
Feedback Regulation ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Physiological Integration ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Heterogeneous Environments ◽  
Fragaria Vesca

The ability of clonal systems to spread by ramet production may expose the clone to spatial heterogeneity. This study explored the physiological and morphological responses in the clonal plant Fragaria vesca L. growing in homogeneous (Cu-contaminated or uncontaminated) or in heterogeneous environments with patches of contrasting quality (Cu-contaminated or uncontaminated). We also investigated the potential of this species to selectively establish ramets within a heterogeneous environment. In heterogeneous environments, plants expanded ramets randomly, but selectively established ramets in the favourable patches. We discuss whether the selective establishment of ramets is a consequence of direct suppression of plant growth due to copper toxicity. The assimilate demand from offspring ramets in unfavourable environments increased the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency of parents by a feedback regulation process. Integration ameliorated the effects of copper on the photochemical efficiency of the offspring ramets. We did not observe integration costs, in terms of total biomass, for parents supporting ramets in Cu-contaminated environments, although we did detect costs in terms of ramet production. Parents with offspring ramets in Cu-contaminated environments produced 25 times more reproductive biomass than parents with offspring ramets in uncontaminated environments. We interpret this as a strategy for escaping from stressful environments. In this study, we extend the concept of physiological integration in clonal plants to include photochemical responses.

scholarly journals Effects of Glyphosate Application on Physiologically Integrated Clones of the Invasive Plant Carpobrotus edulis

Diversity ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Sergio R. Roiloa ◽  
Fei-Hai Yu ◽  
Rodolfo Barreiro
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Photochemical Efficiency ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Physiological Integration ◽  
Growth Reduction ◽  
Carpobrotus Edulis ◽  
Other Substances

Management of invasive alien species is a high priority for biodiversity conservation. Here, we studied the effects of glyphosate application, at 0.06 g/m2 concentration, on physiologically integrated basal and apical ramets of the invasive clonal plant Carpobrotus edulis. Physiological integration allows the transport of resources and other substances between connected ramets in clonal plants. We found a significant reduction of growth and photochemical efficiency both in basal and apical ramets of C. edulis after glyphosate application. Interestingly, we also observed a significant growth reduction in untreated basal ramets when they remained connected to apical ramets treated with glyphosate. This result was interpreted as a cost for basal ramets due to supporting severely stressed apical ramets. Therefore, local application of glyphosate to apical ramets of C. edulis can negatively affect not only their own growth, but also the growth of their interconnected, untreated basal ramets. Our results suggest that glyphosate effectiveness can be maintained when applied only to one part of the clone so that the amount of herbicide used in eradication programs can be greatly reduced, which can minimize the negative impact of chemical herbicides on ecosystems.

scholarly journals Effect of Environmental Stress on the Nutrient Stoichiometry of the Clonal Plant Phragmites australis in Inland Riparian Wetlands of Northwest China

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Liang Jiao ◽  
Huijun Qin ◽  
Fang Li
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Stress ◽  
Phragmites Australis ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Nutrient Allocation ◽  
Heterogeneous Environments ◽  
Riparian Wetlands ◽  
Nutrient Stoichiometry ◽  
Whole Plant

Clonal plants play an important role in determining ecosystem properties such as community stability, species diversity and nutrient cycling. However, relatively little information is available about the stoichiometric characteristics of clonal plants and their drivers in inland riparian wetlands under strong environmental stress. In this manuscript, we studied the clonal plant Phragmites australis in an inland riparian wetland of Northwest China and compared its nutrient distribution and stoichiometry trade-offs as well as its responses to soil environmental factors in three different environments, namely, a wetland, a salt marsh, and a desert. We found that (1) P. australis could adapt to heterogeneous environments by changing its nutrient allocation strategies, as evidenced by the significant decrease in N and P concentrations, and significant increase in whole-plant C:P and N:P ratios from the wetland to the desert habitats. (2) P. australis adapted to stressful environments by changing its nutrient allocation patterns among different modules, showing a greater tendency to invest N and P in underground modules (rhizomes and roots) and an increase in the utilization efficiency of N and P in the leaves, and stems as environmental stress increased. (3) The C-N, C-P, and N:P-C in the whole plant and in each module showed significant anisotropic growth relationships in the three habitats (P < 0.05). (4) Soil water, pH and salt were the main factors limiting nutrient stoichiometry. The results of this study clarified the ecological adaptation mechanism of the clonal plant P. australis to heterogeneous environments and provided targeted protection strategies for inland riparian wetlands in Northwest China.

scholarly journals Distinct responses of frond and root to increasing nutrient availability in a floating clonal plant

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0258253
Author(s):  
Yu Jin ◽  
Qian Zhang ◽  
Li-Min Zhang ◽  
Ning-Fei Lei ◽  
Jin-Song Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Availability ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Big Picture

Current knowledge on responses of aquatic clonal plants to resource availability is largely based on studies manipulating limited resource levels, which may have failed to capture the “big picture” for aquatic clonal plants in response to resource availability. In a greenhouse experiment, we grew the floating clonal plant Spirodela polyrhiza under ten nutrient levels (i.e., 1/64×, 1/32×, 1/16×, 1/8×, 1/4×, 1/2×, 1×, 2×, 4× and 8×full-strength Hoagland solution) and examined their responses in terms of clonal growth, morphology and biomass allocations. The responses of total biomass and number of ramets to nutrient availability were unimodal. A similar pattern was found for frond mass, frond length and frond width, even though area per frond and specific frond area fluctuated greatly in response to nutrient availability. In contrast, the responses of root mass and root length to nutrient availability were U-shaped. Moreover, S. polyrhiza invested more to roots under lower nutrient concentrations. These results suggest that nutrient availability may have distinct influences on roots and fronds of the aquatic clonal plant S. polyrhiza, resulting in a great influence on the whole S. polyrhiza population.

scholarly journals The Intensity of Simulated Grazing Modifies Costs and Benefits of Physiological Integration in a Rhizomatous Clonal Plant

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2724
Author(s):  
Jushan Liu ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Yao Pan ◽  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Ying Gao
Keyword(s):  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Physiological Integration ◽  
Leymus Chinensis ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Heterogeneous Environments ◽  
Simulated Grazing ◽  
Net Benefits ◽  
Benefits And Costs

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.

scholarly journals Physiological Integration Ameliorates Negative Effects of Water Stress in Salt-sensitive ‘C198’ Common Bermudagrass

2015 ◽  
Vol 140 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick Amombo ◽  
Longxing Hu ◽  
Jibiao Fan ◽  
Zhengrong Hu ◽  
Jinmin Fu
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Enzymes ◽  
Antioxidant Enzyme ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Cynodon Dactylon ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Physiological Integration ◽  
Antioxidant Enzyme Activities ◽  
Heterogeneous Environments ◽  
Peg 6000 ◽  
Common Bermudagrass

Clonal plants can consist of connected individual ramets that enhance resource sharing through physiological integration. This integration enables the whole clone to tolerate environmental stresses. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of physical ramet connections on the integration of antioxidant enzymes in clonal common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) growing under heterogeneously distributed water; i.e., nonuniform distribution of water due to 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) treatment on some ramets and not others. The bottom, middle, upper and three fragments of clonal common bermudagrass were subjected to 20% PEG 6000 with water potential of −1.8 MPa to induce heterogeneous and homogeneous drought stress. The control was not treated with 20% PEG 6000. Within the heterogeneous treatment, water stressed clonal fragments generally had higher leaf and root antioxidant enzyme activities with respect to superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase (except for root peroxidase). There was no difference in antioxidant enzyme activity within the connected clonal ramets for homogeneous treatment; i.e., three connected ramets treated with 20% PEG 6000. Osmotically stressed clonal fragments under heterogeneous environments had a lower level of malonaldehyde (MDA) compared with those in homogeneous regimes. The antioxidant enzyme integration was affected by directionality and water availability contrast. This was indicated by significant decline in MDA levels within the heterogeneous treatments as compared with homogeneous treatment, which suggested reduced lipid peroxidation. These results suggested that ramet connections facilitate integration of antioxidant enzymes within clonal plants growing in heterogeneously available water. Enzymes were integrated from clonal fragments growing in water sufficient environment to those in water stressed regimes. This enhanced reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity of the entire clone hence improved drought tolerance.

scholarly journals Risk expansion of Cr through amphibious clonal plant from polluted aquatic to terrestrial habitats

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 422-430
Author(s):  
Liang Xu ◽  
Xiao Wu ◽  
Dan Xiang
Keyword(s):  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Clonal Plants ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Physiological Integration ◽  
Alternanthera Philoxeroides ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
Cr Concentration

AbstractResource sharing between the connected ramets of clonal plants through physiological integration can increase the tolerance of plants to environmental stress. However, the role of physiological integration in the translocation of heavy-metal pollutants between different habitats receives little attention, especially in the aquatic-terrestrial ecotones. An amphibious clonal plant Alternanthera philoxeroides was used to simulate plant expansion from unpolluted soil to a chromium (Cr)-polluted water environment. Basal older ramets growing in unpolluted soil were connected or disconnected with apical younger ramets of the same fragments in polluted environments at different Cr concentrations. Harvested basal ramets were also used for decomposition tests for the loss of residual mass and release of Cr to soil. With increasing Cr concentration there was reduction in biomass of the apical ramets, especially those separated from the basal parts. Cr was detected in the basal ramets with connection to apical parts. The decomposition of plant litter from the basal ramets connected with polluted apical parts might release retained Cr to unpolluted soil. The amount and chemical forms of Cr in the plant litter changed over time. It is concluded that Cr could be transferred from polluted aquatic to unpolluted terrestrial habitats through amphibious clonal plants.

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