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THE COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY OF CLOSELY RELATED SPECIES LIVING IN THE SAME AREA
Author(s) -
HARPER JOHN L.,
McNAUGHTON I. H.
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1962.tb06286.x
Subject(s) - papaver , biology , botany , range (aeronautics) , ecology , composite material , materials science
S ummary Seeds of Papaver rhoeas, P. dubium, P. lecoqii, P. argemone and P. apulum were sown in garden plots at a range of densities in pure stands and mixtures of two species. The plants reacted to density by a reduced chance of establishment and a plastic reduction of plant weight and capsule numbers—the species did not differ in their reactions to density in pure stands. In mixed populations the chance of establishment of a species was reduced when its own density in the mixture was increased—the density of the associated species exerted a less significant influence. The species in lower proportion in a mixture gave the more successful establishment from seed—and it is argued that the persistence of mixed populations is therefore favoured in comparison with pure stands.