THE INFLUENCE OF STANDING VEGETATION HEIGHT ON THE REPRODUCTIVE ALLOCATION IN POPULATIONS OF SERRATULA TINCTORIA L. (ASTERACEAE)

摘要

The advantage of the clonal plants over the nonclonal species in colonization of all biomes and biogeographical regions primarily is due to occurrence of two modes of reproduction. The creating of vegetative propagules with high vitality and survivability, enables the spread in the newly colonized site, while seed production increases the chances for successful recruitment of seedlings, ensuring the genetic diversity of the population. The differences in allocation into vegetative reproduction and generative propagation in relation to rising height of adjacent plants was investigated in populations of Serratula tinctoria L., occurring in Molinietum caeruleae meadows localized in Southern Poland. Each locality was represented by randomly established three permanent study plots: dominated by small meadow species (LOW), prevailed by large-tussock grasses (INTER) and overgrown by shrubs and trees (HIGH). In the years 2009-2011 the number of leaf rosettes and length of the longest leaf in rosette (as a measure of allocation in vegetative propagation), as well as height of generative stems, number of capitula per stem and number of seeds per capitulum (as indicators of investment in generative reproduction) were observed.