Nutrient Availability and Atmospheric CO2 Partial Pressure Modulate the Effects of Nutrient Heterogeneity on the Size Structure of Populations in Grassland Species | Zendy

Fernando T. Maestre | Zendy; James F. Reynolds | Zendy

Open Access

Nutrient Availability and Atmospheric CO2 Partial Pressure Modulate the Effects of Nutrient Heterogeneity on the Size Structure of Populations in Grassland Species

Author(s) -

Fernando T. Maestre,

James F. Reynolds

Publication year - 2006

Publication title -

annals of botany

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 1.567

H-Index - 176

eISSN - 1095-8290

pISSN - 0305-7364

DOI - 10.1093/aob/mcl093

Subject(s) - holcus lanatus , biology , nutrient , microcosm , plantago , competition (biology) , lolium perenne , plantaginaceae , grassland , interspecific competition , agronomy , spatial heterogeneity , biomass (ecology) , ecology , botany , poaceae

Size-asymmetric competition occurs when larger plants have a disproportionate advantage in competition with smaller plants. It has been hypothesized that nutrient heterogeneity may promote it. Experiments testing this hypothesis are inconclusive, and in most cases have evaluated the effects of nutrient heterogeneity separately from other environmental factors. The aim of this study was to test, using populations of Lolium perenne, Plantago lanceolata and Holcus lanatus, two hypotheses: (a) nutrient heterogeneity promotes size-asymmetric competition; and (b) nutrient heterogeneity interacts with both atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (P(CO2)) and nutrient availability to determine the magnitude of this response.

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