ECOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPRING AND AUTUMN PLANTS OF TWO DESERT EPHEMERALS

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2007.0146

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Ephemerals are important in desert ecosystems, playing a key role in ecosystem stabilization. Previous research has concentrated on spring ephemerals. Little is known about biological and ecological characteristics of ephemerals that germinate in spring and autumn and about the significance of autumn ephemerals in stabilizing desert ecosystems.

Methods We marked plants of Plantago minuta and Erodium oxyrrhynchum, species that germinate in spring and autumn. We investigated their crowns, leaves and phenological characteristics in the field during their growing seasons and measured their dry weights and mean arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization rates in the laboratory.

Important findings Leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and dry weights of autumn plants are larger than those of spring plants. For example, in autumn P. minuta and E. oxyrrhynchum produced 13.0 and 4.4 times as many seeds and flowered 14 and 7 days earlier, respectively, than spring plants. In addition, mean arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization rates were higher in autumn than spring plants, accelerating the absorption of phosphorus. Autumn plants had greater capability of reproduction and ecosystem stabilization, allowing them to play an important role in stabilizing the desert ecosystem.

Key words: spring ephemeral plant, autumn ephemeral plant, ecological and biological characteristics, arbuscular mycorrhizae

ZHANG Tao, SUN Yu, TIAN Chang-Yan, FENG Gu. ECOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPRING AND AUTUMN PLANTS OF TWO DESERT EPHEMERALS[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2007, 31(6): 1174-1180.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2007/V31/I6/1174

Figures/Tables 6

References 28

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植物表现型 Phenotypes	果实数 Fruit number	种子数 Seed number	单果种子数 Seed number per fruit
春季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in spring	2.67±0.35^b	19.17±5.51^b	6.20±0.86^b
秋季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in autumn	11.51±0.86^a	287.50±30.34^a	23.07±1.31^a
春季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in spring	18.09±1.54^b	90.45±7.70^b	5.00±0.00^a
秋季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in autumn	97.00±4.36^a	485.00±21.79^a	5.00±0.00^a

植物表现型 Phenotypes	果实数 Fruit number	种子数 Seed number	单果种子数 Seed number per fruit
春季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in spring	2.67±0.35^b	19.17±5.51^b	6.20±0.86^b
秋季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in autumn	11.51±0.86^a	287.50±30.34^a	23.07±1.31^a
春季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in spring	18.09±1.54^b	90.45±7.70^b	5.00±0.00^a
秋季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in autumn	97.00±4.36^a	485.00±21.79^a	5.00±0.00^a

植物表现型 Phenotypes	现蕾 Bud stage	开花期 Florescence	花果期 Florescence and fructescence	干枯 Withered
春季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in spring	8/5	14/5	15/5~7/6	7/6
秋季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in autumn	21/4	26/4	7/5~3/6	3/6
春季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in spring	5/5	19/5	20/5~5/6	5/6
秋季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in autumn	29/4	5/5	16/5~2/6	2/6

植物表现型 Phenotypes	现蕾 Bud stage	开花期 Florescence	花果期 Florescence and fructescence	干枯 Withered
春季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in spring	8/5	14/5	15/5~7/6	7/6
秋季萌发小车前 Plantago minuta geminated in autumn	21/4	26/4	7/5~3/6	3/6
春季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in spring	5/5	19/5	20/5~5/6	5/6
秋季萌发尖喙牻牛儿苗 Erodium oxyrrhynchum germinated in autumn	29/4	5/5	16/5~2/6	2/6