SREL Reprint #1947
Variation in survival and biomass of two wetland grasses at different nutrient and water levels over a six week period
Chester R. Figiel, Jr.1,2, Beverly Collins3, and Gary Wein3
1Meeman Biological Station and Division of Ecology and Organismal Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152
2Freshwater Biology Program, Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677
3Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802
Abstract: Two semiaquatic grasses, Phalaris arundinacea (a perennial) and Echinochloa crusgalli (an annual), were grown for six weeks in the greenhouse to examine the interaction of environment and plant-plant interactions on plant biomass, biomass allocation patterns, and survival. Plants were grown in monoculture or in mixture in four water regimes (moist, emergent, variable, and submerged) and two nutrient levels (low and high) in a randomized block replacement series design. Phalaris had higher survival than Echinochloa in all treatments. Echinochloa survival was greatest in moist and emergent water levels. Both species produced greater biomass in the high nutrient treatment than in the low nutrient treatment. Root:shoot biomass ratio increased for both species with decreasing nutrient level; however, the root:shoot ratio of Echinochloa was significantly lower than that of Phalaris at both nutrient levels. Interspecific competition did not adversely affect survival or biomass allocation strategy of either species; rather, their greater survival in mixture than in monoculture suggests that intraspecific competition is relatively more important for both. In wetlands, Phalaris may be more successful than Echinochloa in fluctuating and submerged water because of low Echinochloa survival.
Keywords: wetland grasses, Echinochloa, Phalaris, biomass allocation, survival, competition
SREL Reprint #1947
Figiel, C.R., Jr., B. Collins, and G. Wein. 1995. Variation in survival and biomass of two wetland grasses at different nutrient and water levels over a six week period. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 122:24-29.
This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).