title: Trade-off between allocation to reproductive ramets and rhizome buds in Carex brevicuspis populations along a small-scale elevational gradient.
abstract: The trade-off between allocation to sexual and clonal reproduction in clonal plants is influenced by a variety of environmental factors; however, it has rarely been examined under field conditions. In this study, we investigated the trade-off between two modes of reproduction in Carex brevicuspis C. B. Clarke across a small-scale elevational gradient (21-27 m a.s.l.) at the Dongting Lake wetlands, China. The proportion of biomass allocated to and the density of reproductive ramets were higher at low than at intermediate and high elevations. In contrast, the proportion of biomass allocated to and the density of rhizome buds were lower at low than at intermediate and high elevations. Redundancy analysis showed that sexual reproduction was positively correlated with soil moisture content, soil organic matter, total phosphorus, and pH, and negatively correlated with elevation and ramet density. Our findings suggested that allocation to sexual reproduction is favored in disturbed habitats with fertile soils, whereas allocation to vegetative propagation is favored in stable and competitive habitats. Trade-off between allocation to sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation along an elevational gradient might be a reproductive strategy of C. brevicuspis to adapt to the water level fluctuations in wetland habitats.
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
authors.forename: Xin-sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China [2] College of Life Science and Technology, Central South Forestry University, Changsha 410004, China.
authors.forename: Ya-fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
authors.forename: Yong-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-miao
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan 410125, China [2] Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D031255:Carex Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010758:Phosphorus; D012100:Reproduction, Asexual; D027343:Rhizome; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D010758:Phosphorus