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COMPETITIVE SUBORDINATION OF A PIEDMONT OLD FIELD SUCCESSIONAL DOMINANT BY AN INTRODUCED SPECIES
Author(s) -
Tremmel David C.,
Peterson K. M.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1983.tb12461.x
Subject(s) - biology , interspecific competition , competition (biology) , ecological succession , old field , botany , monoculture , agronomy , ecology
Heterotheca latifolia Buckley has been replacing Erigeron canadensis L. as the first year dominant in Carolina‐Georgia piedmont old field succession. This species of Heterotheca was introduced to this area in the 1940's. Both the Heterotheca and Erigeron species are winter annuals. We used a replacement series experiment to detect competition (interference) under a variety of greenhouse environments to seek a possible explanation for the observed changes in old field succession. Interspecific competition between Heterotheca and Erigeron plants resulted in significant reductions in the dry weight of Erigeron plants. Erigeron wilted before Heterotheca in 98.2% of observations of first‐wilting in mixed‐species cultures. At flowering, Erigeron plants in mixed‐species cultures were shorter than Heterotheca plants. Poor seed dispersal in mixed‐species communities in the field could limit Erigeron 's ability to populate new areas. Greenhouse flats densely sown with equal numbers of seeds of both species resulted in a winter rosette cover of Heterotheca only. Heterotheca 's assumption of the role of first year dominant in old field succession may be due to interspecific competition with Erigeron at all stages in its life cycle. These competitive effects can be observed under a variety of environmental conditions, especially those in which drought occurs.