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Pure Stands (pure + stand)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	50%
Earth and Environmental Science	50%

Selected Abstracts

Competitive ability not kinship affects growth of Arabidopsis thaliana accessions

NEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 1 2010
Frédéric Masclaux
Summary ,In many organisms, individuals behave more altruistically towards relatives than towards unrelated individuals. Here, we conducted a study to determine if the performance of Arabidopsis thaliana is influenced by whether individuals are in competition with kin or non-kin. ,We selected seven pairs of genetically distinct accessions that originated from local populations throughout Europe. We measured the biomass of one focal plant surrounded by six kin or non-kin neighbours in in vitro growth experiments and counted the number of siliques produced per pot by one focal plant surrounded by four kin or non-kin neighbours. ,The biomass and number of siliques of a focal plant were not affected by the relatedness of the neighbour. Depending on the accession, a plant performed better or worse in a pure stand than when surrounded by non-kin plants. In addition, whole-genome microarray analyses revealed that there were no genes differentially expressed between kin and non-kin conditions. ,In conclusion, our study does not provide any evidence for a differential response to kin vs non-kin in A. thaliana. Rather, the outcome of the interaction between kin and non-kin seems to depend on the strength of the competitive abilities of the accessions. [source]

Effects of white clover cultivar and companion grass on winter survival of seedlings in autumn-sown swards

GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 2 2003
A. Elgersma
Abstract The aim was to study the effects of white clover cultivar and combinations with perennial ryegrass cultivars on seedling establishment in autumn-sown swards and on winter survival of seedlings. Large-leaved white clover cv. Alice and small-leaved white clover cv. Gwenda, and an erect and a prostrate perennial ryegrass cultivar were sown in autumn in pure stands and as four binary grass-clover mixtures. Mixtures of white clover cv. Huia and Aberherald with perennial ryegrass were also sown. Companion grasses had no significant impact on the establishment of white clover. The number of seedlings of white clover cv. Alice in mixtures (335 m,2) was higher than cv. Gwenda (183 m,2) and pure swards had similar white clover population densities as mixed swards. White clover cv. Huia tended to have more seedlings than Aberherald (355 and 205 m,2 respectively). No stolons were produced prior to a severe winter, because of the late sowing date. Winter survival of clover seedlings was 0·56 in mixtures and 0·69 in pure stands, irrespective of white clover or companion grass cultivar. Stolon development of white clover in autumn is often considered essential for overwintering survival and spring growth. In this study, there was considerable survival of the non-stoloniferous tap-rooted seedlings of all four clover cultivars despite a severe winter. [source]

Variation in leaf traits through seasons and N-availability levels and its consequences for ranking grassland species

JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005
Raouda Al Haj Khaled
Abstract Question: Are leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area and leaf life span relevant plant traits to discriminate the fertility gradient in species-rich natural grasslands? In other words, is species ranking conserved when nitrogen availability or growing periods change? Location: Toulouse Research Centre, France; 150 m a.s.l. Methods: Fifteen grasses and nine dicotyledons were sown in pure stands in a random block design with three replicates. Each species was cultivated at two levels of nitrogen supply, limiting and non-limiting for growth, with three replications per nitrogen level. Leaf traits were measured across both levels of nitrogen supply and growing periods over the year. Results: Leaf dry matter content values separated the species into three life-form classes (grasses, rosette forbs and upright forbs, P < 0.001). This was not the case for specific leaf area and leaf life span. The three leaf traits were variable across growing periods and nitrogen levels, but the ranking of species was conserved over N-levels and growth periods. Furthermore leaf dry matter content was always less variable than the other leaf traits. Conclusion: We conclude that leaf dry matter content measured only on grasses could be used as an indicator to describe the N-richness of the habitat where native herbaceous vegetation develops. [source]

Test of the enemy release hypothesis: The native magpie moth prefers a native fireweed (Senecio pinnatifolius) to its introduced congener (S. madagascariensis)

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
EVE M. WHITE
Abstract The enemy release hypothesis predicts that native herbivores will either prefer or cause more damage to native than introduced plant species. We tested this using preference and performance experiments in the laboratory and surveys of leaf damage caused by the magpie moth Nyctemera amica on a co-occuring native and introduced species of fireweed (Senecio) in eastern Australia. In the laboratory, ovipositing females and feeding larvae preferred the native S. pinnatifolius over the introduced S. madagascariensis. Larvae performed equally well on foliage of S. pinnatifolius and S. madagascariensis: pupal weights did not differ between insects reared on the two species, but growth rates were significantly faster on S. pinnatifolius. In the field, foliage damage was significantly greater on native S. pinnatifolius than introduced S. madagascariensis. These results support the enemy release hypothesis, and suggest that the failure of native consumers to switch to introduced species contributes to their invasive success. Both plant species experienced reduced, rather than increased, levels of herbivory when growing in mixed populations, as opposed to pure stands in the field; thus, there was no evidence that apparent competition occurred. [source]