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Effects of adult neighbour and gap size on seedling emergence and early growth of Bromus inermis Leyss
Author(s) -
Liu Guixia,
Mao Peisheng,
Wang Yunwen,
Han Jianguo
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/s11284-007-0364-1
Subject(s) - seedling , bromus inermis , germination , biology , shoot , agronomy , competition (biology) , topsoil , ecology , poaceae , soil water
Abstract A field study was conducted to determine the effects of neighbour root exclusion and gap size on the seedling emergence and early growth of Bromus inermis . Seeds of B. inermis were added to artificially created gaps in an improved shortgrass steppe in northern China. Neighbour root exclusion was accomplished using PVC tubes sunk in the soil of gaps. Emergence and survival of seedlings were greater in all gaps than in the control (0‐cm diameter), but better growth performance (height of seedling, leaves, tillers and dry weight per seedling) was observed only in large gaps (20‐ and 40‐cm diameter) with neighbour root present and gaps without neighbour root presence. Seedling growth performance was improved by reducing root and shoot competition. Neighbour root exclusion provided a favourable environment for seedling establishment. Differences between gaps in light levels and topsoil temperature can explain the patterns of germination. These results confirm that B. inermis is a gap‐enhanced species. Our study strongly suggests that asymmetric competition by adult neighbour plants negatively influences the establishment of B. inermis .