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RESOURCE ALLOCATION ON DWARF SHOOTS OF BIRCH ( BETULA PENDULA ): REPRODUCTION AND LEAF GROWTH
Author(s) -
TUOMI JUHA,
NIEMELÄ PEKKA,
MANNILA RAUNO
Publication year - 1982
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.1469-8137.1982.tb03326.x
Subject(s) - betula pendula , biology , shoot , reproduction , botany , betulaceae , betula pubescens , ecology
SUMMARY A hypothesis that the female catkin and leaves on the same dwarf shoot of birch compete for the same limited resources of the bud during their development has been tested with Betula pendula. In all trees studied the mean length of leaves, both in May and July, was 15 to 20% lower on reproductive dwarf shoots with a female catkin than on non‐reproductive dwarf shoots of the same tree. However, there were no significant differences in leaf number or in bud development. The idea of plants as metapopulations and the cost of reproduction in trees are discussed.