Age structure and growth pattern of Polytrichum juniperum populations in a mire of Changbai Mountains

Abstract

Abstract: In this paper, the age structure and growth pattern of two Polytrichum juniperum populations with and without sporophytes in Hani mire of Changbai Mountains were studied by ‘innate annual marker' method. The ramets of both populations were composed of 6 age classes, and their quantity and biomass showed a declining age structure, which was more obvious in the sporophyte produced population. No significant difference of biomass was found (P>0.05) between the two populations. The dry material accumulation of the ramets in both populations increased with aging, and showed similar patterns of linear function. The ramets mean height of sporophyte-produced population was 6.17% shorter (P<0.05) than the another, because sporophyte production limited the height growth. The ramets mean height also increased with aging, and showed similar patterns of linear function. In non-sporophyte produced population, the variation coefficient of ramets height was only 2.44%, which indicated the significance of similar height for ramets survival. In sporophyte produced population, the variation coefficient of ramets height was 25.07%, while that of ramets biomass was 8.25%, suggesting the significance of similar biomass to the reproduction of population. The biomass of ramets had a significantly positive correlation with height in both populations(P<0.001), and no allometric growth was showed.

Key words: Polytrichum juniperum, Mire, Clone, Innate annual marker, Age structure

CLC Number:

Q945.3
Q948

BU Zhaojun, YANG Yunfei, DAI Dan, WANG Xianwei . Age structure and growth pattern of Polytrichum juniperum populations in a mire of Changbai Mountains [J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2005, 16(1): 44-48.

References

[1] Alliende MC, Harper JL 1989. Demographic studies of a dioecious tree Ⅰ. Colinization, sex and age structure of a population of Salix cinerea. J Ecol, 77:1029～1047
[2] Bowden RD. 1991. Inputs, outputs, and accumulation of nitrogen in an early successional moss(Polytrichum) ecosystem. Ecol Monogr, 61:207～223
[3] Callaghan TV, Collins NJ, Callaghan CH, 1978. Photosynthesis,growth and reproduction of Hylocomium splendens and Polytrichum commune in Swedish Lapland. Oikos, 31:73～88
[4] Clymo RS, Hayward PM. 1982. The ecology of Sphagnum. In:Smith AJE ed. Bryophyte Ecology. London:Chapman & Hall. 229～289
[5] Collins NJ. 1976. Growth and population dynamics of the moss Polytrichum alpestre in the maritime Antarctic:Strategies of growth and population dynamics of tundra plants. Oikos 27:389～401
[6] Corradini P, Clement B. 1999. Growth pattern and modular reiteration of a hardy colonizer Polytrichum commune Hedw. Plant Ecol, 143:67～76
[7] Gimmingham CH. 1948. The role of Barbula fallex Hedw. and Bryum pendulum Schp. in sanddune fixation. Trans British Bryol Soc, 1:70～72
[8] Hayward PM, Clymo RS. 1983. The growth of Sphagnum:Experiments on, and simulation of, some effects of light flux and watertable depth. J Ecol, 71:845～863
[9] Hobbs VJ, Pritchard NM. 1987. Population dynamics of the moss Polytrichum piliferum in Northeast Scotland. J Ecol, 75:177～192
[10] Hughes JG. 1990. Seasonal growth and development of sporophytes in wild populations of Pogonatum and Polytrichum species. J Bryol, 16:97～108
[11] Keever C, Oosting HJ, Anderson LE. 1951. Plant succession on exposed granite of Rocky Face Mountain, Alexander County, North Carolina. Bull Torrey Bot CL, 78:401～421
[12] Lang H-Q(郎惠卿), Zhao K-Y(赵魁义), Chen K-L(陈克林).1999. Wetland Vegetation in China. Beijing:Science Press. 63～66(in Chinese)
[13] Li H(李红), Yang Y-F(杨允菲),Qiao X-B(乔喜波).2000.Age structure of tillers of Hordeum brevisulatum clone in Songnen plain of China. Chin J Appl Ecol(应用生态学报), 11(3):403～407 (in Chinese)
[14] LiX(李新),Hu L-L(胡理乐),Huang H-D(黄汉东), et al.2003. Structures and spatial distribution patterns of dominant populations in Sycopsis sinensis community in Houhe Nature Reserve.Chin J Appl Ecol(应用生态学报), 14(6):849～852(in Chinese)
[15] Li X-K(李先琨), Xiang W-S(向悟生), SU Z-M(苏宗明).2004.Structure and dynamics of Taxus chinensis var. mairei clonal population. Chin J Appl Ecol(应用生态学报), 15(2):177～180(in Chinese)
[16] Moore CJ, Scoot GAM. 1979. The ecology of mosses on a sand dune in Victoria, Australia. J Bryol, 10:291～311
[17] Parker WC, Watson SR, Cairns DW. 1997. The role of hair-cap mosses(Polytrichum spp.)in natural regeneration of white spruce (Picea glauca). For Ecol Man, 92:19～28
[18] Qiao S-Y(乔石英). 1993. A preliminary study on Hani peat mire in the west part of the Changbai Mountain. Sci Geogr Sin (地理科学), 13 (3):279～286 (in Chinese)
[19] Rydin H, McDonald AJS. 1985. Photosynthesis in Sphagnum at different water contents. J Bryol, 13:579～584
[20] Rydin H, Barber KE. 2001. Long-term and fine-scale co-existence of closely related species. Folia Geobot, 36:53～62
[21] Sarafis V. 1971. A biological account of Polytrichum commune.New Zeal J Bot, 9:711～723
[22] Watson MA. 1979. Age structure and mortality within a group of closely related mosses. Ecology, 60 (5):988～997
[23] Watson MA. 1980. Patterns of habitat occupation in mosses-relevance to considerations of niche. Bull Torrey Bot CL, 107:346～372
[24] Wyatt R. 1997. Population biology of the polytrichaceae. Adv Bryol, 6:265～296
[25] Yang Y-F(杨允菲), Zheng H-Y(郑慧莹), Li J-D(李建东).1998. Methods of study on age structures of clonal populations in rhizome type grass. J Northeast Normal Univ (东北师范大学学报·自然科学版), (1):49～53(in Chinese)
[26] Yang Y-F(杨允菲), Li J-D(李建东). 2002. Biomass allocation and growth analysis on the reamets of Phragmites communis populations in different habitats in the Songnen Plains of China. Chin J Appl Ecol (应用生态学报), 14(1):30～34(in Chinese)
[27] Yang Y-F(杨允菲), Li J-D(李建东). 2003. Growth strategies of different age classes of ramets in Kalimeris integrifolia population at the Songnen Plains of China. China J Appl Ecol (应用生态学报), 14(12):2171～2175(in Chinese)