Reproductive efficiency and shade avoidance plasticity under simulated competition.

ABSTRACT: Plant strategy and life-history theories make different predictions about reproductive efficiency under competition. While strategy theory suggests under intense competition iteroparous perennial plants delay reproduction and semelparous annuals reproduce quickly, life-history theory predicts both annual and perennial plants increase resource allocation to reproduction under intense competition. We tested (1) how simulated competition influences reproductive efficiency and competitive ability (CA) of different plant life histories and growth forms; (2) whether life history or growth form is associated with CA; (3) whether shade avoidance plasticity is connected to reproductive efficiency under simulated competition. We examined plastic responses of 11 herbaceous species representing differ

SUBMITTER: Fazlioglu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4979719 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature