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TRANSPORT OF CARBON AMONG CONNECTED RAMETS OF EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES (PONTEDERIACEAE) AT NORMAL AND HIGH LEVELS OF CO 2
Author(s) -
Alpert Peter,
Warembourg Fernand R.,
Roy Jacques
Publication year - 1991
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.1537-2197.1991.tb11425.x
Subject(s) - biology , stolon , eichhornia crassipes , photosynthesis , botany , carbon fibers , offspring , productivity , horticulture , ecology , aquatic plant , macrophyte , pregnancy , materials science , genetics , macroeconomics , composite number , economics , composite material
The floating, stoloniferous plant, Eichhornia crassipes , has high rates of productivity and rapidly invades new sites. Because the transport of carbon among connected ramets is known to increase the growth of clonal plants, we asked whether there is intraclonal carbon transport in E. crassipes. Because net photosynthesis of E. crassipes is significantly higher at high levels of atmospheric CO 2 , we also asked if high CO 2 can change patterns of carbon transport in ways that might modify clonal growth. We exposed individual ramets within groups of connected ramets to 14 CO 2 for 15–45 min and measured the distribution of 14 C in the group after 4 days of growth at 350, 700, 1,400, or 2,800 μ 1 1 −‐1 CO 2 . At 350 μ1 1 −‐1 CO 2 , a parent ramet exported approximately 10% of the 14 C that it assimilated to its first rooted offspring ramet. The offspring exported a similar percentage of the l4 C it assimilated toward the parent; two‐thirds of this 14 C was retained by the parent, and one‐third moved into new offspring of the parent. In all ramets, imported carbon moved into leaves as well as roots. At the higher levels of CO 2 , the percentage of assimilated carbon exported from a parent ramet to the leaf blades of its first offspring was lower by half. High CO 2 had little other effect on carbon transport. E. crassipes maintains bidirectional transport of carbon between ramets even under uniform and favorable environmental conditions and when external CO 2 levels are very high.