The role of seedling recruitment from juvenile populations of Carex brevicuspis (Cyperaceae) at the Dongting Lake wetlands, China.
Seedlings and vegetative ramets may contribute differentially to the recruitment of clonal populations in different growth phases, but this has rarely been investigated. In this study, we quantified the number and survivorship of seedlings and vegetative ramets monthly in juvenile and mature populations of Carex brevicuspis. During the first growing season after flooding (from October to January), 9 seedlings m(-2) (13% of all established shoots) were found in juvenile populations, while no seedlings were found in mature populations. During the second growing season before flooding (from February to May), no new seedling recruits were found either in juvenile or in mature populations. All shoots of seedlings were withered during the dormant season (January and February), but 62.5% seedlings could produce vegetative ramets in the following growing season. During the dormant season, all the early emerging ramets (sprouted in October) withered, but the later emerging ones (sprouted in November and December) survived in both mature and juvenile populations. These results indicated that seedling recruitment was only apparent in juvenile populations of C. brevicuspis. The genetic diversity in mature C. brevicuspis populations may be established in juvenile populations by seedling recruitment, and sustained in mature populations by vegetative reproduction.
1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Zheng-miao
ZM
Deng
1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Xin-sheng
XS
Chen
1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Yong-hong
YH
Xie
1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Ya-jun
YJ
Xie
1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Zhi-yong
ZY
Hou
1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Feng
F
Li
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002681:China; D029785:Cyperaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D060106:Lakes; D011157:Population Dynamics; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development*; D053833:Wetlands