A review of adaptive strategies of clonal plants to interspecific competition

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2012.00587

Abstract

Abstract:

Clonal plants have many advantages over non-clonal plants, such as longevity, spatial mobility and two modes of reproduction. Therefore, clonal plants are dominant or constructive species in many natural ecosystems. We review the adaptive strategies of clonal plants to interspecific competition and elaborate the differences of competitive ability. It accounts for the responses to interspecific competition from those aspects, including modular morphology, clonal architecture, reproductive strategy and the relationship between physiological integration and interspecific competition. Those factors lead to different results, such as diversities of experimental materials, conditions of habitat, design of experiments and dynamic spatial changes of morphology and physiology of clonal plants. Key issues that need research are proposed, including clonal plants and interspecific competition under global change and its molecular ecological mechanism.

Key words: clonal architecture, clonal plant, interspecific competition, modular morphology, physiological integration

GE Jun, XING Fu. A review of adaptive strategies of clonal plants to interspecific competition[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2012, 36(6): 587-596.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2012.00587

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2012/V36/I6/587

References 93

[1]	Alpert P (1996). Nutrient sharing in natural clonal fragments of Fragaria chiloensis. Journal of Ecology, 84, 395-406.
[2]	Ba L ( 巴雷), Wang DL ( 王德利) (2003). Comparison of main plants’ module morphological characteristics under neighborhood interference in Leymus chinensis grasslands. Journal of Northeast Normal University (Natural Science Edition) (东北师大学报(自然科学版), 35, 110-116. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[3]	Ba L ( 巴雷), Wang DL ( 王德利), Gao Y ( 高莹) (2005). Analysis of spatial distribution pattern for Leymus chinensis and its co-existing specie-Phragmites communis in the Songnen Plains. Acta Prataculturae Sinica (草业学报), 14, 111-116. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[4]	Ba L ( 巴雷), Wang DL ( 王德利), Liu Y ( 刘颖), Wang X ( 王旭), Sun W ( 孙伟) (2002). Analysis on competition and coexistence patterns of Aneurolepidium chinense and its main companion species. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology (应用生态学报), 13, 50-54. (in Chinese with English abstract) URL PMID
[5]	Bu ZJ ( 卜兆君), Yang YF ( 杨允菲), Lang HQ ( 朗惠卿), Rydin H (2005). Regeneration mechanism of the clonal Carex middendorffii population in an oligotrophic mire, China. Acta Prataculturae Sinica (草业学报), 14, 124-129. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[6]	Cain ML, Damman H (1997). Clonal growth and ramet performance in the woodland herb, Asarum canadense. Journal of Ecology, 85, 883-897. DOI URL
[7]	Chen S ( 陈尚), Li ZZ ( 李自珍), Wang G ( 王刚) (1997). The fundamental characteristics of the wetlands in China. Chinese Journal of Ecology (生态学杂志), 16(4), 59-63. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[8]	Cheplick GP (1995). Life history trade-offs in Amphibromus scabrivalvis (Poaceae): allocation to clonal growth, storage, and cleistogamous reproduction. American Journal of Botany, 82, 621-629. DOI URL
[9]	Cheplick GP (1997). Responses to severe competitive stress in a clonal plant: differences between genotypes. Oikos, 79, 581-591. DOI URL
[10]	Day KJ, John EA, Hutchings MJ (2003). The effects of spatially heterogeneous nutrient supply on yield, intensity of competition and root placement patterns in Briza media and Festuca ovina. Functional Ecology, 17, 454-463. DOI URL
[11]	de Kroon H, Hutchings MJ (1995). Morphological plasticity in clonal plants: the foraging concept reconsidered. Journal of Ecology, 83, 143-152. DOI URL
[12]	de Koon H, van Groenendael J (1997). The Ecology and Evolution of Clonal Plants. Backhuys Publisher, Leiden.
[13]	Dong M (1995). Morphological responses to local light conditions in clonal herbs from contrasting habitats, and their modification due to physiological integration. Oecologia, 101, 282-288. URL PMID
[14]	Dong M ( 董鸣) (1996a). Clonal growth in plants in relation to resource heterogeneity: foraging behavior. Acta Botanica Sinica (植物学报), 38, 828-835. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[15]	Dong M ( 董鸣) (1996b). Plant clonal growth in heterogeneous habitats: risk-spreading. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica (植物生态学报), 20, 543-548. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[16]	Dong M, de Kroon H (1994). Plasticities in morphology and biomass allocation in Cynodon dactylon, a grass species forming stolons and rhizomes. Oikos, 70, 90-106.
[17]	Dong M, Pierdominici MG (1995). Morphology and growth of stolons and rhizomes in three clonal grasses, as affected by different light supply. Vegetatio, 116, 25-32.
[18]	Dong M ( 董鸣), Yu FH ( 于飞海) (2007). The ecology terms and concepts of clonal plants. Journal of Plant Ecology (Chinese Version)(植物生态学报), 31, 689-694. (in Chinese)
[19]	Dong M ( 董鸣), Yu FH ( 于飞海), Chen JS ( 陈劲松), Song MH ( 宋明华), Li JM ( 李钧敏), Liu FH ( 刘凤红), Liu J ( 刘建), Chen YF ( 陈玉福) (2011). Clonal Plant Ecology (克隆植物生态学). Science Press, Beijing. (in Chinese)
[20]	Fransen B, de Kroon H, Berendse F (2001). Soil nutrient heterogeneity alters competition between two perennial grass species. Ecology, 82, 2534-2546. DOI URL
[21]	Goldberg DE, Fleetwood L (1987). Competitive effect and response in four annual plants. Journal of Ecology, 75, 1131-1143.
[22]	Goldberg DE, Landa K (1991). Competitive effect and response: hierarchies and correlated traits in the early stages of competition. Journal of Ecology, 79, 1013-1030. DOI URL
[23]	Grime JP (1974). Vegetation classification by reference to strategies. Nature, 250, 26-31. DOI URL
[24]	Hagiwara Y, Kachi N, Suzuki JI (2010). Effects of temporal heterogeneity of water supply on the growth of Perilla frutescens depend on plant density. Annals of Botany, 106, 173-181.
[25]	Harper JL (1977). Population Biology of Plants. Academic Press, London.
[26]	Harris W (1971). The effects of fertiliser and lime on the competitive interactions of Rumex acetosella L. with Trifolium repen L. and Lolium sp. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 14, 185-207.
[27]	He WM, Alpert P, Yu FH, Zhang LL, Dong M (2011). Reciprocal and coincident patchiness of multiple resources differentially affect benefits of clonal integration in two perennial plants. Journal of Ecology, 99, 1202-1210.
[28]	Herben T (1995). Founder and dominance control: neglected concepts in the community dynamics of clonal plants. Abstracta Botanica, 19, 3-10.
[29]	Herben T, Krahulec F, Hadincová V, Kovářová M (1993a). Small-scale spatial dynamics of plant species in a grassland community over six years. Journal of Vegetation Science, 4, 171-178.
[30]	Herben T, Krahulec F, Hadincová V, Skálová H (1993b). Small-scale variability as a mechanism for large-scale stability in mountain grasslands. Journal of Vegetation Science, 4, 163-170. DOI URL
[31]	Hodge A (2006). Plastic plants and patchy soils. Journal of Experimental Botany, 57, 401-411. URL PMID
[32]	Huber-Sannwald E, Pyke DA, Caldwell MM, Durham S (1998). Effects of nutrient patches and root systems on the clonal plasticity of a rhizomatous grass. Ecology, 79, 2267-2280.
[33]	Hutchings MJ, John EA, Wijesinghe DK (2003). Toward understanding the consequences of soil heterogeneity for plant populations and communities. Ecology, 84, 2322-2334.
[34]	Hutchings MJ, Wijesinghe DK (2008). Performance of a clonal species in patchy environments: effects of environmental context on yield at local and whole-plant scales. Evolutionary Ecology, 22, 313-324. DOI URL
[35]	Jackson JBC, Buss LW, Cook RE, Ashmun JW (1985). Population Biology and Evolution of Clonal Organisms. Yale University Press, New Haven.
[36]	Jiang ZL ( 蒋智林), Liu WX ( 刘万学), Wan FH ( 万方浩), Li ZY ( 李正跃) (2008). Measurements of plant competition ability and their applications: a review. Chinese Journal of Ecology (生态学杂志), 27, 985-992. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[37]	Karban R (2008). Plant behavior and communication. Ecology Letters, 11, 727-739. URL PMID
[38]	Keddy PA (1990). Competitive hierarchies and centrifugal organization in plant communities. In: Grace JB, Tilman D eds. Perspectives on Plant Competition. Academic Press, New York.
[39]	Klimeš L, Klimešová J, Hendriks R, van Groenendael J (1997). Clonal plant architecture: a comparative analysis of form and function. In: de Kroon H, van Groenendael J eds. The Ecology and Evolution of Clonal Plants. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. 1-29.
[40]	Law R, McLellan A, Mahdi AKS (1993). Spatio-temporal processes in a calcareous grassland. Plant Species Biology, 8, 175-193.
[41]	Lezberg AL, Halpem CB, Antos JA (2001). Clonal deve- lopment of Maianthemum dilatatum in forests of differing age and structure. Canadian Journal of Botany, 79, 1028-1038.
[42]	Li B ( 李博), Chen JK ( 陈家宽), Watkinson AR (1998). A literature review on plant competition. Chinese Bulletin of Botany (植物学通报), 15(4), 18-29. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[43]	Li JD ( 李建东), Yang YF ( 杨允菲) (2002). Analysis on structures of ecological and areal types for plant species in Leymus chinensis meadow in the Songnen Plains of China. Acta Prataculturae Sinica (草业学报), 11(4), 10-20. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[44]	Li L, Wang G (2006). The ideal free distribution of clonal plant’s ramets among patches in a heterogeneous environment. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 68, 1837-1850. DOI URL PMID
[45]	Liu F, Chen JM, Wang QF (2009a). Trade-offs between sexual and asexual reproduction in a monoecious species Sagittaria pygmaea(Alismataceae): the effect of different nutrient levels. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 277, 61-65. DOI URL
[46]	Liu HD, Yu FH, He WM, Chu Y, Dong M (2009b). Clonal integration improves compensatory growth in heavily grazed ramet populations of two inland-dune grasses. Flora-Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 204, 298-305.
[47]	Luo XG ( 罗学刚), Dong M ( 董鸣) (2001). Architectural plasticity in response to light intensity in the stoloniferous herb, Duchesnea indica Focke. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica (植物生态学报), 25, 494-497. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[48]	MacArthur RH (1972). Geographical Ecology. Harper and Row, New York.
[49]	Macdonald SE, Lieffers VJ (1993). Rhizome plasticity and clonal foraging of Calamagrostis canadensis in response to habitat heterogeneity. Journal of Ecology, 81, 769-776.
[50]	Marshall C (1990). Source-sink relations of interconnected ramets. In: van Groenendael JM, de Kroon H eds. Clonal Growth in Plant: Regulations and Functions. SPB Academic Publishing, The Hague. 23-41.
[51]	Mommer L, van Ruijven J, Jansen C, van de Steeg HM, de Kroon H (2012). Interactive effects of nutrient heterogeneity and competition: implications for root foraging theory. Functional Ecology, 26, 66-73.
[52]	Mommer L, Visser EJW, van Ruijven J, de Caluwe H, Pierik R, de Kroon H (2011). Contrasting root behaviour in two grass species: a test of functionality in dynamic heterogeneous conditions. Plant and Soil, 344, 347-360.
[53]	Oborny B, Bartha S (1995). Clonality in plant commun- ities―an overview. Abstracta Botanica, 19, 115-127.
[54]	Peltzer DA (2002). Does clonal integration improve competitive ability? A test using aspen (Populus tremuloides [Salicaceae]) invasion into prairie. American Journal of Botany, 89, 494-499. DOI URL PMID
[55]	Pennings SC, Callaway RM (2000). The advantages of clonal integration under different ecological conditions: a community-wide test. Ecology, 81, 709-716. DOI URL
[56]	Pottier J, Evette A (2011). Spatial pattern and process at the plant neighbourhood scale: insights from communities dominated by the clonal grass Elymus repens(L.) Gould. Journal of Vegetation Science, 22, 973-982. DOI URL
[57]	Prati D, Schmid B (2000). Genetic differentiation of life- history traits within populations of the clonal plant Ranunculus reptans. Oikos, 90, 442-456.
[58]	Preston KA, Ackerly DD (2004). Allometry and evolution in modular organisms. In: Pigliucci M, Preston KA eds. Modularity and Phenotypic Complexity. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 80-106.
[59]	Rajaniemi TK (2007). Root foraging traits and competitive ability in heterogeneous soils. Oecologia, 153, 145-152. URL PMID
[60]	Rautiainen P, Koivula K, Hyvärinen M (2004). The effect of within-genet and between-genet competition on sexual reproduction and vegetative spread in Potentilla anserina ssp. egedii. Journal of Ecology, 92, 505-511.
[61]	Roiloa SR, Rodríguez-Echeverría S, de la Peña E, Freitas H (2010). Physiological integration increases the survival and growth of the clonal invader Carpobrotus edulis. Biological Invasions, 12, 1815-1823.
[62]	Semchenko M, John EA, Hutchings MJ (2007). Effects of physical connection and genetic identity of neighbouring ramets on root-placement patterns in two clonal species. New Phytologist, 176, 644-654. DOI URL
[63]	Shen YY ( 沈禹颖), Li Y ( 李昀), Lu N ( 陆妮) (2002). Competitive ability and interspecific relationship among four forage species. Acta Prataculturae Sinica (草业学报), 11, 8-13. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[64]	Song MH ( 宋明华), Dong M ( 董鸣) (2002). Importance of clonal plants in community. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 22, 1960-1967. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[65]	Song MH ( 宋明华), Dong M ( 董鸣), Jiang GM ( 蒋高明), Li LH ( 李凌浩) (2001). Clonal plants along NECT and relation of their importance to environmental conditions. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 21, 1095-1103. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[66]	van Kleunen M, Fisher M (2001). Adaptive evolution of plastic foraging responses in a clonal plant. Ecology, 82, 3309-3319. DOI URL
[67]	Vasseur L, Irwin D, Aarssen LW (1995). Size versus number of offspring as predictors of success under competition in Lemna minor(Lemnaceae). Annales Botanici Fennici, 32, 169-178.
[68]	Wang N ( 王宁) (2010). Clonal integration increased the competitive ability of invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides to Plantago virginica. Ecology and Environment (生态环境学报), 19, 2302-2306. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[69]	Wang N, Yu FH, Li PX, He WM, Liu FH, Liu JM, Dong M (2008). Clonal integration affects growth, photosynthetic efficiency and biomass allocation, but not the competitive ability, of the alien invasive Alternanthera philoxeroides under severe stress. Annals of Botany, 101, 671-678. DOI URL PMID
[70]	Wang W ( 王微) (2011). Studies on the interspecific competition of Poaceae turfgrass. Hubei Agricultural Sciences (湖北农业科学), 50, 1624-1627. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[71]	Wang W ( 王炜), Liu ZL ( 刘钟龄), Hao DY ( 郝敦元), Liang CZ ( 梁存柱) (1996). Research on the restoring succession of the degenerated grassland in Inner Mongolia I. Basic characteristics and driving force for restoration of the degenerated grassland. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica (植物生态学报), 20, 449-459. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[72]	Wang W ( 王文), Miao JX ( 苗建勋), Chang SH ( 常生华), Xu Z ( 徐震), Wang Q ( 王强) (2003). Effects of cutting on the relationship between community growth and yield, and interspecific competition characteristics in mixed pasture. Pratacultural Science (草业科学), 20, 20-23. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[73]	Wang YH ( 王艳红), Wang K ( 王珂), Xing F ( 邢福) (2005). Advances of studies on the morphological plasticity, integration and foraging behavior of stoloniferous herbaceous plants. Chinese Journal of Ecology (生态学杂志), 24, 70-74. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[74]	White J (1979). The plant as a metapopulation. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 10, 109-145.
[75]	Wilkinson SR, Gross CF (1964). Competition for light, soil moisture and nutrients during Ladino clover establishment in Orchardgrass sod. Agronomy Journal, 56, 389-392. DOI URL
[76]	Wilsey B (2002). Clonal plants in a spatially heterogeneous environment: effects of integration on Serengeti grassland response to defoliation and urine-hits from grazing mammals. Plant Ecology, 159, 15-22. DOI URL
[77]	Windham L (2000). Microscale spatial distribution of Phragmites australis (common red) invasion into Spartina patens (salt hay)-dominated communities in brackish tidal marsh. Biological Invasions, 1, 137-147.
[78]	Winkler E, Fischer M (1999). Two fitness measures for clonal plants and the importance of spatial aspects. Plant Ecology, 141, 191-199. DOI URL
[79]	Winkler E, Klotz S, Wissel C (1993). Mathematical modeling of phytocoenosis dynamics in a dry grassland. Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie, 23, 451-458.
[80]	Winkler E, Schmid B (1996). Clonal strategies of herbaceous plant species: a simulation study on population growth and competition. Abstracta Botanica, 19, 17-28.
[81]	Winkler E, Stöcklin J (2002). Sexual and vegetative reproduction of Hieracium pilosella L. under competition and disturbance: a grid-based simulation model. Annals of Botany, 89, 525-536. URL PMID
[82]	Wolfer SR, Straile D (2004). Spatio-temporal dynamics and plasticity of clonal architecture in Potamogeton perfoliatus. Aquatic Botany, 78, 307-318.
[83]	Xiao KY, Yu D, Wang JW (2006). Habitat selection in spatially heterogeneous environments: a test of foraging behaviour in the clonal submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis. Freshwater Biology, 51, 1552-1559.
[84]	Xiao KY, Yu D, Wang LG, Han YQ (2011). Physiological integration helps a clonal macrophyte spread into competitive environments and coexist with other species. Aquatic Botany, 95, 249-253.
[85]	Xing F ( 邢福), Nie DD ( 聂丹丹), Wang Y ( 王莹), Xing MJ ( 邢美静) (2008). Strategy for spatial expansion of clonal plant population: a review. In: Yang YF (杨允菲), Zu YG (祖元刚) eds. Research on Grassland Ecology in the Northeastern China―The Collected Works to Celebrate the Birthday 80th Anniversary of Professor Zhu Tingcheng (中国东北草地生态学研究——祝廷成教授八十华诞文集). Jilin Science and Technology Publishing House, Changchun. 229-240.
[86]	Ye XH, Yu FH, Dong M (2006). A trade-off between guerrilla and phalanx growth forms in Leymus secalinus under different nutrient supplies. Annals of Botany, 98, 187-191. DOI URL PMID
[87]	Yu FH, Dong M, Krüsi B (2004). Clonal integration helps Psammochloa villosa survive sand burial in an inland dune. New Phytologist, 162, 697-704.
[88]	Yu FH, Wang N, Alpert P, He WM, Dong M (2009). Physiological integration in an introduced, invasive plant increases its spread into experimental communities and modifies their structure. American Journal of Botany, 96, 1983-1989. URL PMID
[89]	Yu FH, Wang N, He WM, Dong M (2010). Effects of clonal integration on species composition and biomass of sand dune communities. Journal of Arid Environments, 74, 632-637.
[90]	Zhang YF ( 张玉芬), Zhang DY ( 张大勇) (2006). Asexual and sexual reproductive strategies in clonal plants. Journal of Plant Ecology (Chinese Version)(植物生态学报), 30, 174-183. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[91]	Zhang YL ( 张永亮), Wang JL ( 王建丽), Hu ZZ ( 胡自治) (2007). Interspecific competition and community stability of variegated alfalfa + awnless brome mixture. Acta Agrestia Sinica (草地学报), 15, 43-49. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[92]	Zhong HP ( 钟华平), Fan JW ( 樊江文), Hu ZM ( 胡中民), Du ZC ( 杜占池), Liang B ( 梁飚) (2006). The relationship between inter-specific competition and quantification management index in Trifolium repens pasture. Acta Prataculturae Sinica (草业学报), 15, 21-29. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[93]	Zhou J, Dong BC, Alpert P, Li HL, Zhang MX, Lei GC, Yu FH (2011). Effects of soil nutrient heterogeneity on intraspecific competition in the invasive, clonal plant Alternanthera philoxeroides. Annals of Botany, 109, 813-818. DOI URL PMID