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Vivipary in Polygonum viviparum: an adaptation to cold climate?
Author(s) -
Bauert Martin R.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.1993.tb00085.x
Subject(s) - biology , adaptation (eye) , reproduction , inflorescence , botany , altitude (triangle) , sexual reproduction , apomixis , vegetative reproduction , zoology , ecology , ploidy , biochemistry , geometry , mathematics , neuroscience , gene
Populations of Polygonurn viviparurn were investigated in the Swiss Alps at 14 sites, ranging from 450 m to 2530 m above sea level. The average length of stems and the mean number of reproductive organs (flowers + bulbils) decreased significantly with increasing altitude. On average, the ratio of flowers to bulbils per inflorescence also declined so that at high altitudes, bulbil production was more pronounced. Increased allocation to vegetative reproduction is discussed as an adaptation to cold climate. It is suggested that enhanced vegetative reproduction might be controlled by incornplete floral induction in high altitudes. In addition variability within and between populations was investigated by isozyme electrophoresis and the examination of bulbil colours. A considerable amount of variability was found in alpine populations. The demonstrated genetic variability showed that in P. viviparum it is likely that minor sexual reproduction is maintained even under alpine conditions. This is reflected in different enzyme phenotypes and different bulbil colours.