Photosynthetic rates and vegetative production of Sorghastrum nutans in response to competition at two strip mines and a railroad prairie

Title:

Photosynthetic rates and vegetative production of Sorghastrum nutans in response to competition at two strip mines and a railroad prairie

Creator:

Skeel, V. A. and Gibson, D. J.

Identifier:

https://cdk.lib.cas.cz/client/handle/uuid:a52f5d4b-6e33-4ae4-bdc6-47ebeaa99bbc
uuid:a52f5d4b-6e33-4ae4-bdc6-47ebeaa99bbc
issn:0300-3604
doi:10.1023/A:1006842420191

Subject:

biomass, gas exchange, inflorescence, irradiance, seasonal course, soil texture, and tillers

Type:

model:article and TEXT

Format:

bez média and svazek

Description:

The effect of differing environmental conditions on competition for resources was investigated by a comparison of net photosynthetic rate (PN) and vegetative production of Indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash.] at two strip mine sites with differing reclamation histories, and a railroad prairie site where this species occurs naturally. The treatment for a competition experiment consisted of tying back all species of neighboring plants around a target plant, and measuring its PN and vegetative performance during the growing season. Environmental variables at each site were also measured during the growing season. Soil bulk density and pH were higher at the two mine sites than at the prairie site, and soil texture, nutrients, and water potential were different at each of the three sites. PN of target plants compared closely among the three sites, and were lowest for plants at the railroad prairie. The competition experiment indicated that lower canopy leaves were most affected by competition for photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at all sites. Significant differences in PN of upper canopy leaves were found between treatment and control plants at one of the mine sites. This site had higher soil water potentials and higher soil levels of P and K than the other mine site or the railroad prairie. Target plants at the other mine site experienced a low competition for PAR, likely due to lower soil moisture availability and therefore lower aboveground productivity. The largest differences in PN and irradiances between upper and lower canopy leaves occurred in target plants with neighbors at the railroad prairie, likely due to inter-specific competition. Vegetative production of the target plants also reflected the environment at each site, but did not reflect PN differences between treatments. S. nutans is well adapted to the varying environment at these three sites, and aboveground competition for radiant energy was probably not as limiting for this C4 grass as belowground competition. and V. A. Skeel, D. J. Gibson.

Language:

Multiple languages

Rights:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
policy:public

Coverage:

139-149

Source:

Photosynthetica | 1998 Volume:35 | Number:1

Harvested from:

CDK

Metadata only:

false