Effects of genotypic diversity on vegetative growth and reproductive strategies of Scirpus mariqueter population
Aim:Biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem functioning,while intraspecific genotypic diversity constitutes a vital component of biodiversity,and its effects at the population level remain unclear.To bridge that gap,we conducted an experiment examining the effects of genotypic diversity on vegetative growth and reproductive strategies.Methods:This study manipulated the genotypic diversity of an endemic coastal wetland species,Scirpus mariqueter,in China(1,2,4,and 8 genotypic diversity),and examined the influence of genotypic diversity on the population's vegetative growth,asexual reproduction,and sexual reproduction.Results:Genotypic diversity significantly influenced the productivity of S.mariqueter populations by increasing total biomass and average plant height.Genotypic diversity influenced asexual reproduction,in which corm number,corm biomass,and number of ramets were significantly increased.However,it did not have a significant effect on sexual reproduction.Overall,S.mariqueter populations with high genotypic diversity altered their reproductive strategy to allocate more energy to asexual reproduction.This change would provide S.mariqueter a greater ability for local colonization,which in turn would affect saltmarsh ecosystem processes.Conclusions:Genotypic diversity has a significant effect on vegetative growth and reproductive strategies of this wetland plant.These findings highlight the significant role of plant intraspecific genotypic diversity in ecosystem functioning,especially in the population dynamics and sustainability of saltmarsh ecosystems which are often characterized by a single dominant plant species.
genotypic diversitysexual reproductionasexual reproductionadditive effectssaltmarshsoil biotabiomassbiodiversity and ecosystem functioning
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