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Canopy Structure and Potential Light Competition in Two Adjacent Annual Plant Communities
Author(s) -
Turitzin Stephen N.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1936643
Subject(s) - canopy , grassland , photosynthesis , bromus , ecology , light intensity , competition (biology) , environmental science , plant community , habitat , biology , botany , agronomy , poaceae , atmospheric sciences , ecological succession , geology , physics , optics
Two annual grassland communities, 1 of which occurred on serpentine soil, were compared as light—competitive habitats for Bromus mollis L. Gramineae, a common component of each. Potential light competition was assessed as the dependence of simulated photosynthetic rate on position within the canopies. The 2 communities were found to differ markedly in foilage canopy structure and light penetration. Incident sunlight was less attenuated by the serpentine canopy. The vertical gradients of light intensity within the 2 communities were such that a plant in the nonserpentine grassland would have to display its leaves as a greater elevation than it would in the serpentine canopy in order to achieve the same rate of photosynthesis. The nonserpentine canopy was thus judged to be potentially more light competitive.