Biomass and nitrogen distribution ratios reveal a reduced root investment in temperate lianas vs. self-supporting plants.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The reliance on external support by lianas has been hypothesized to imply a reduction in the biomass cost of stem construction and root anchorage, and an increased investment in leaves, relative to self-supporting plants. These evolutionary trade-offs have not been adequately tested in an ontogenetic context and on the whole-plant scale. Moreover, the hypothesis may be extended to other potentially limiting resources, such as nitrogen (N.).

Methods

Plants belonging to five con-familiar pairs of temperate liana/shrub species were cultivated in 120 L barrels and sequentially harvested over up to three growing seasons. To account for the ontogenetic drift, organ biomass and nitrogen fractions were adjusted for plant biomass and N pool, respectively.

Key r

SUBMITTER: Wyka TP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6868367 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature