ON PLASTIC AND NONPLASTIC VARIATION IN CLONAL PLANT MORPHOLOGY AND ITS ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

被引:65
作者
DEKROON, H
STUEFER, JF
DONG, M
DURING, HJ
机构
[1] Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 TB
来源
FOLIA GEOBOTANICA & PHYTOTAXONOMICA | 1994年 / 29卷 / 02期
关键词
CLONAL PLANTS; FORAGING; GENETIC VARIATION; GROWTH FORM; NORM OF REACTION; PLASTICITY; POTENTILLA;
D O I
10.1007/BF02803790
中图分类号
Q94 [植物学];
学科分类号
071001 ;
摘要
Morphological plasticity in clonal plants has received wide attention because localized plastic changes in spacer length, branching intensity and branching angle may enable clonal plants to place ramets selectively in the more favourable microhabitats within a heterogeneous environment. These responses have been interpreted in terms of foraging behaviour. Studies of morphological plasticity in clonal plants are usually carried out with one or two genotypes of a species, or with material of unknown genetic origin. Based on the concept of phenotypic plasticity, it is argued that such studies do not reveal whether plasticity in a population can be modified by natural selection. In addition, responses are often evaluated at two environmental conditions only, which may underestimate plasticity. Hence, our information on the ecological and evolutionary significance of morphological plasticity in clonal plants is still very incomplete. Two examples are given to show that stolon intermode and rhizome lengths may vary considerably within an individual plant. Only a minor part of this variation may be plastic, i.e. the variation is hardly changed by the environmental conditions to which the plants are subjected. Hence, non-plastic variation in clonal morphology may exceed the degree of morphological plasticity. The non-plastic variation seems to originate from species-specific patterns of stolon and rhizome development. Marked non-plastic variation may obscure the effects of morphological plasticity on the placement pattern of ramets in the field, suggesting that plasticity in clonal morphology may not be very effective in terms of foraging for favourable patches. Possible reasons for the low levels of plasticity of clonal spacers are discussed.
引用
收藏
页码:123 / 138
页数:16
相关论文
共 57 条
[1]  
Alpert P., Mooney H.A., Resource sharing among ramets in the clonal herb, Fragaria chiloensis, Oecologia, 70, pp. 227-233, (1986)
[2]  
Bell A.D., Dynamic morphology: a contribution to plant population ecology, Perspectives on plant population ecology, pp. 48-65, (1984)
[3]  
Bell A.D., Tomlinson P.B., Adaptive architecture in rhizomatous plants, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 80, pp. 125-160, (1980)
[4]  
Bradshaw A.D., Evolutionary significance of phenotypic plasticity in plants, Adv. Gen., 13, pp. 115-155, (1965)
[5]  
Bull J.J., Evolution of phenotypic variance, Evolution, 41, pp. 303-315, (1987)
[6]  
Caradus J.R., Chapman D.F., Variability in stolon characteristics and response to shading in two cultivars of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 34, pp. 239-247, (1991)
[7]  
Caradus J.R., Hay M.J.M., Mackay A.D., Thomas V.J., Dunlop J., Lambert M.G., Hart A.L., van den Bosch J., Wewala S., Variation within white clover (Trifolium repens L.) for phenotypic plasticity of morphological and yield related characters, induced by phosphorus supply, New Phytol., 123, pp. 175-184, (1993)
[8]  
Carlsson B.A., Callaghan T.V., Programmed tiller differentiation, intraclonal density regulation and nutrient dynamics in Carex, bigelowii, Oikos, 58, pp. 219-230, (1990)
[9]  
Carlsson B.A., Callaghan T.V., Simulation of fluctuating populations of Carex bigelowii tillers classified by type, age and size, Oikos, 60, pp. 231-240, (1991)
[10]  
Cook R.E., Clonal plant populations, Am. Sci., 71, pp. 244-253, (1983)