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How does reproductive strategy influence demography? A case study in the tropical, unisexual epiphyllous moss Crossomitrium patrisiae
Author(s) -
Alvarenga Lisi D. P.,
Pôrto Kátia C.,
Coelho Maria L. P.,
Zartman Charles E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.3732/ajb.1600202
Subject(s) - biology , sporophyte , metapopulation , moss , brood , longevity , sexual reproduction , ecology , perennial plant , evolutionary biology , botany , population , demography , biological dispersal , genetics , sociology
PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Leaf‐inhabiting organisms offer an experimentally tractable model system within which to investigate the influence of alternative reproductive strategies on plant metapopulation dynamics. We conducted a field study to determine whether (1) threshold colony sizes exist for the onset of sexual and asexual expression, and (2) alternative reproductive strategies differentially influence within‐patch dynamics of the tropical pleurocarpous moss Crossomitrium patrisiae . METHODS: The growth, reproduction, and fate of 2101 colonies of C. patrisiae were followed over 2 years to investigate threshold size and age for sporophyte and brood branch formation and their influence on within‐patch growth rates and longevity. KEY RESULTS: Asexual expression rather than sexual onset was limited by a minimal colony size. Age was uncoupled with threshold sizes. Colonies bearing brood branches survived nearly twice as long as sterile and solely sporophytic colonies. However, no effect of reproductive strategies on colony growth rates was found. CONCLUSIONS: This study is among the few attempts to correlate life history strategies with demographic parameters of terrestrial plants. Specifically, we provide evidence for differential influence of reproductive strategies on metapopulation survivorship.