J Syst Evol ›› 2014, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (1): 84-91.DOI: 10.1111/jse.12055

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of different nutrient sources on plasticity of reproductive strategies in a monoecious species, Sagittaria graminea (Alismataceae)

1,2Li-Hui ZHANG 1,2,3Yan-Wen ZHANG* 1,2Xing-Nan ZHAO 3Sheng-Jun HUANG 2Ji-Min ZHAO 1Yun-Fei YANG*   

  1. 1(Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University and Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun 130024, China)
    2(Department of Biology, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China)
    3(Department of Biology, Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 180003, Liaoning, China)
  • Received:2013-06-21 Published:2014-01-14

Abstract: Varied nutrient sources can influence the plasticity of reproductive strategies in monoecious species differently. We examined the plasticity of sexual and clonal reproductive components in distinct nutrient sources in a monoecious species, Sagittaria graminea Michx. The results showed that for aboveground reproductive components, in rich-phosphorus and low-nitrogen conditions, the species produced more male flowers, whereas female flowers did not significantly increase in number compared to low-phosphorus and low-nitrogen conditions (control). In rich-nitrogen and low-phosphorus conditions, the species produced more flowers, particularly female, and more seeds, compared to the control conditions. In the rich-nitrogen and rich-phosphorus conditions, plants increased male flowers, female flowers, total flower number, synchronously, as well as seed production. For the belowground reproductive components, in the rich-phosphorus conditions, the plants produced bigger corms than in the rich-nitrogen and control conditions, which further enhanced their competitiveness against companion species. In rich-nitrogen conditions, the plants produced more medium and small corms, and relatively more and longer stolons, which were useful in expansion and invasion of more space. Furthermore, the species displayed trade-off relationships between the aboveground and belowground reproductive components in unbalanced nutrient conditions (add-N or add-P). However, in low nutrient levels (control) or in nutrient abundant (add-N + P) conditions, there were no significant trade-off relationships between the aboveground and belowground reproductive components, based on quantities.

Key words: clonal reproduction, nutrient resources, Sagittaria graminea, sexual plasticity, sexual reproduction, trade-off.