Water heterogeneity affects water storage in two rhizomatous clonal plants Leymus secalinus and Calamagrostis pseudophragmites

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00044

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Essential resources for plant growth are heterogeneously distributed in natural systems, and clonal plants can efficiently use heterogeneously distributed resources. Many studies have addressed effects of heterogeneous water supply on the growth, morphology and physiology of clonal plants, but few have tested effects of water heterogeneity on the ability of clonal plants to store water.
Methods We grew ramets of two rhizomatous clonal plants Leymus secalinus and Calamagrostis pseudophragmites under both homogeneous and heterogeneous water supply. The experiment was conducted from 15 August to 14 October 2010 under a rain shelter at Ordos Sandland Ecological Station (39°29′ N, 110°11′ E). Water content and biomass of roots, shoots, spacers (rhizomes) and buds were measured.
Important findings Spacer water content, shoot water content and root water content were significantly higher under the heterogeneous water condition than under the homogeneous water condition in both species, suggesting that clonal plants could increase the ability to store water when growing in heterogeneous water conditions. Leymus secalinus decreased single ramet biomass and increased bud number to adapt to water heterogeneity, while C. pseudophragmites increased belowground biomass, including rhizome biomass, root biomass and bud biomass, to deal with water heterogeneity. Increasing water storage may increase the ability of clonal plants to adapt to unpredictable water conditions.

Key words: adaptive strategy, clonal storage, plant water content, ramet population, water heterogeneity

YE Xue-Hua,HU Yu-Kun,LIU Zhi-Lan,GAO Shu-Qin,DONG Ming. Water heterogeneity affects water storage in two rhizomatous clonal plants Leymus secalinus and Calamagrostis pseudophragmites[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2013, 37(5): 427-435.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00044

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2013/V37/I5/427

Figures/Tables 6

References 43

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性状 Trait	物种 Species			水分处理 Water treatment			交互作用 Interaction
性状 Trait	df	F	p	df	F	p	df	F	p
生物量 Biomass
总生物量 Total biomass	1, 19	15.93	0.001	1, 19	0.62	0.441	1, 19	1.30	0.269
间隔子生物量 Spacer biomass	1, 19	7.40	0.014	1, 19	2.88	0.106	1, 19	0.95	0.341
芽生物量 Bud biomass	1, 19	0.03	0.866	1, 19	7.16	0.015	1, 19	0.09	0.765
枝生物量 Shoot biomass	1, 19	42.03	<0.001	1, 19	0.10	0.752	1, 19	2.37	0.140
根生物量 Root biomass	1, 19	7.22	0.015	1, 19	0.36	0.557	1, 19	0.74	0.401
生物量分配 Biomass allocation
根冠比 Root to shoot ratio	1, 19	0.13	0.725	1, 19	0.62	0.443	1, 19	0.02	0.879
分株数量和大小 Number and size of ramets
分株数 Number of ramets	1, 19	6.89	0.017	1, 19	0.77	0.113	1, 19	0.54	0.471
单个分株生物量 Biomass per ramet	1, 19	8.86	0.008	1, 19	0.02	0.890	1, 19	8.02	0.011
芽数量和大小 Number and size of buds
芽数 Number of buds	1, 19	2.45	0.134	1, 19	24.60	<0.001	1, 19	0.43	0.522
单个芽生物量 Biomass per bud	1, 19	0.54	0.472	1, 19	<0.001	0.997	1, 19	0.12	0.733
含水量 Water content
总含水量 Total water content	1, 19	1.58	0.224	1, 19	94.36	<0.001	1, 19	2.81	0.110
芽含水量 Bud water content	1, 19	0.55	0.469	1, 19	3.12	0.093	1, 19	0.004	0.951
间隔子含水量 Spacer water content	1, 19	11.39	0.003	1, 19	35.38	<0.001	1, 19	3.01	0.099
根含水量 Root water content	1, 19	1.57	0.225	1, 19	53.71	<0.001	1, 19	12.98	0.002
枝含水量 Shoot water content	1, 19	0.30	0.591	1, 19	13.22	0.002	1, 19	0.44	0.514

性状 Trait	物种 Species			水分处理 Water treatment			交互作用 Interaction
性状 Trait	df	F	p	df	F	p	df	F	p
生物量 Biomass
总生物量 Total biomass	1, 19	15.93	0.001	1, 19	0.62	0.441	1, 19	1.30	0.269
间隔子生物量 Spacer biomass	1, 19	7.40	0.014	1, 19	2.88	0.106	1, 19	0.95	0.341
芽生物量 Bud biomass	1, 19	0.03	0.866	1, 19	7.16	0.015	1, 19	0.09	0.765
枝生物量 Shoot biomass	1, 19	42.03	<0.001	1, 19	0.10	0.752	1, 19	2.37	0.140
根生物量 Root biomass	1, 19	7.22	0.015	1, 19	0.36	0.557	1, 19	0.74	0.401
生物量分配 Biomass allocation
根冠比 Root to shoot ratio	1, 19	0.13	0.725	1, 19	0.62	0.443	1, 19	0.02	0.879
分株数量和大小 Number and size of ramets
分株数 Number of ramets	1, 19	6.89	0.017	1, 19	0.77	0.113	1, 19	0.54	0.471
单个分株生物量 Biomass per ramet	1, 19	8.86	0.008	1, 19	0.02	0.890	1, 19	8.02	0.011
芽数量和大小 Number and size of buds
芽数 Number of buds	1, 19	2.45	0.134	1, 19	24.60	<0.001	1, 19	0.43	0.522
单个芽生物量 Biomass per bud	1, 19	0.54	0.472	1, 19	<0.001	0.997	1, 19	0.12	0.733
含水量 Water content
总含水量 Total water content	1, 19	1.58	0.224	1, 19	94.36	<0.001	1, 19	2.81	0.110
芽含水量 Bud water content	1, 19	0.55	0.469	1, 19	3.12	0.093	1, 19	0.004	0.951
间隔子含水量 Spacer water content	1, 19	11.39	0.003	1, 19	35.38	<0.001	1, 19	3.01	0.099
根含水量 Root water content	1, 19	1.57	0.225	1, 19	53.71	<0.001	1, 19	12.98	0.002
枝含水量 Shoot water content	1, 19	0.30	0.591	1, 19	13.22	0.002	1, 19	0.44	0.514

物种 Species	性状 Trait	df	t	p
赖草 Leymus secalinus	总生物量 Total biomass	10	0.204	0.842
	间隔子生物量 Spacer biomass	10	-0.417	0.685
	芽生物量 Bud biomass	10	-1.564	0.149
	枝生物量 Shoot biomass	10	0.682	0.877
	根生物量 Root biomass	10	0.159	0.511
	根冠比 Root to shoot ratio	10	-0.581	0.574
	分株数 Number of ramets	10	-1.529	0.157
	单个分株生物量 Biomass per ramet	10	2.565	0.028
	芽数 Number of buds	10	-2.795	0.019
	单个芽生物量 Biomass per bud	10	0.206	0.841
	总含水量 Total water content	10	-5.385	<0.001
	芽含水量 Bud water content	10	-1.491	0.167
	间隔子含水量 Spacer water content	10	-4.445	0.001
	根含水量 Root water content	10	-3.647	0.004
	枝含水量 Shoot water content	10	-3.307	0.008
假苇拂子茅 Calamagrostis pseudophragmites	总生物量 Total biomass	10	-2.171	0.055
	间隔子生物量 Spacer biomass	10	-3.313	0.008
	芽生物量 Bud biomass	10	-2.696	0.022
	枝生物量 Shoot biomass	10	-2.664	0.209
	根生物量 Root biomass	10	-1.342	0.024
	根冠比 Root to shoot ratio	10	-0.360	0.726
	分株数 Number of ramets	10	-0.412	0.689
	单个分株生物量 Biomass per ramet	5.317	-1.833	0.123
	芽数 Number of buds	10	-4.982	0.001
	单个芽生物量 Biomass per bud	6.323	-0.085	0.935
	总含水量 Total water content	10	-5.156	0.000
	芽含水量 Bud water content	10	-1.439	0.181
	间隔子含水量 Spacer water content	10	-4.733	0.001
	根含水量 Root water content	4.528	-5.647	0.003
	枝含水量 Shoot water content	10	-2.296	0.045

物种 Species	性状 Trait	df	t	p
赖草 Leymus secalinus	总生物量 Total biomass	10	0.204	0.842
	间隔子生物量 Spacer biomass	10	-0.417	0.685
	芽生物量 Bud biomass	10	-1.564	0.149
	枝生物量 Shoot biomass	10	0.682	0.877
	根生物量 Root biomass	10	0.159	0.511
	根冠比 Root to shoot ratio	10	-0.581	0.574
	分株数 Number of ramets	10	-1.529	0.157
	单个分株生物量 Biomass per ramet	10	2.565	0.028
	芽数 Number of buds	10	-2.795	0.019
	单个芽生物量 Biomass per bud	10	0.206	0.841
	总含水量 Total water content	10	-5.385	<0.001
	芽含水量 Bud water content	10	-1.491	0.167
	间隔子含水量 Spacer water content	10	-4.445	0.001
	根含水量 Root water content	10	-3.647	0.004
	枝含水量 Shoot water content	10	-3.307	0.008
假苇拂子茅 Calamagrostis pseudophragmites	总生物量 Total biomass	10	-2.171	0.055
	间隔子生物量 Spacer biomass	10	-3.313	0.008
	芽生物量 Bud biomass	10	-2.696	0.022
	枝生物量 Shoot biomass	10	-2.664	0.209
	根生物量 Root biomass	10	-1.342	0.024
	根冠比 Root to shoot ratio	10	-0.360	0.726
	分株数 Number of ramets	10	-0.412	0.689
	单个分株生物量 Biomass per ramet	5.317	-1.833	0.123
	芽数 Number of buds	10	-4.982	0.001
	单个芽生物量 Biomass per bud	6.323	-0.085	0.935
	总含水量 Total water content	10	-5.156	0.000
	芽含水量 Bud water content	10	-1.439	0.181
	间隔子含水量 Spacer water content	10	-4.733	0.001
	根含水量 Root water content	4.528	-5.647	0.003
	枝含水量 Shoot water content	10	-2.296	0.045