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Effects of drought and CO 2 enrichment on competition between two old‐field perennials
Author(s) -
MARKS SUSAN,
STRAIN BOYD R.
Publication year - 1989
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.1469-8137.1989.tb00680.x
Subject(s) - advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer , competition (biology) , perennial plant , drought stress , dominance (genetics) , agronomy , biomass (ecology) , biology , environmental science , botany , ecology , geography , biochemistry , remote sensing , gene , digital elevation model
summary We studied the effects of drought stress and CO 2 enrichment on the competition between Aster pilosus Willd. (aster, C3) and Andropogon virginicus L. (broomsedge, C4) under two CO 2 concentrations (350 and 650 μl l −1 CO 2 ) and two water treatments (well‐watered and water‐limited). Although broomsedge is the more drought‐tolerant species, this did not increase its competitive ability against aster under drought conditions. With CO 2 enrichment, aster was a stronger competitor than broomsedge and comprised 75% of above‐ground pot biomass in both water treatments. CO 2 enrichment also increased aster survival when competing with broomsedge under extreme drought conditions. Although drought stress and CO 2 enrichment interacted to affect the two species in different ways, there was no interaction of drought stress and competition; aster was a stronger competitor than broomsedge under CO 2 enrichment in both well‐watered and water‐limited conditions. With future increases in the atmospheric CO 2 concentration, aster may delay broomsedge dominance in old‐field communities.