Annals of Botany 77: 477-486, 1996
© 1996 Annals of Botany Company
Central Die-back of Monoclonal Stands of Reynoutria japonica in an Early Stage of Primary Succession on Mount Fuji
Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113, Japan Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305, Japan
June 21, 1995 ; November 23, 1995
Reynoutria japonica is a common perennial pioneer species on Japanese volcanoes. In a volcanic desert (1500m above sea level) on Mount Fuji (3776m), central Japan, this species forms circular stands (patches). As a patch develops, shoot density decreases in its centre (‘central die-back’). The central die-back has been considered a key process in the early stages of primary succession, though its mechanism has been unknown.
The pattern of patch development, population dynamics of aerial shoots, and growth patterns of below-ground organs were analysed in order to investigate the mechanism of die-back, and the following traits are clarified: (1) central die-back areas occur in most small patches (approx. 1m2) without later successional species; (2) shoot characteristics are dependent both on their position within a patch and on patch size; (3) despite the large differences in shoot density, neither time course of shoot growth nor their mortality differs between the centre and periphery of patches; and (4) rhizomes ofR. japonicagrow outwards with regular sympodial branching.
From these results, it is concluded that neither interspecific nor intraspecific competition is likely to be a primary cause of the die-back phenomenon, but that central die-back is brought about intrinsically by the growth pattern of the rhizome systems. We also discuss the importance of the central die-back in facilitating establishment of later successional species in the early stages of primary succession.
Clonal plant; central die-back; competition; facilitation; Japanese knotweed; Mount Fuji; primary succession;Reynoutria japonica ; rhizome growth; volcanic desert
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. P. Matlaga and L. da S. L. Sternberg Ephemeral clonal integration in Calathea marantifolia (Marantaceae): Evidence of diminished integration over time Am. J. Botany, February 1, 2009; 96(2): 431 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. J. Siemens and B. Blossey An evaluation of mechanisms preventing growth and survival of two native species in invasive Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia xbohemica, Polygonaceae) Am. J. Botany, May 1, 2007; 94(5): 776 - 783. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 X.-H. YE, F.-H. YU, and M. DONG A Trade-off Between Guerrilla and Phalanx Growth Forms in Leymus secalinus Under Different Nutrient Supplies Ann. Bot., July 1, 2006; 98(1): 187 - 191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 I. Terashima, Y. T. Hanba, Y. Tazoe, P. Vyas, and S. Yano Irradiance and phenotype: comparative eco-development of sun and shade leaves in relation to photosynthetic CO2 diffusion J. Exp. Bot., January 1, 2006; 57(2): 343 - 354. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Pysek, J. H. Brock, K. Bimova, B. Mandak, V. Jarosik, I. Koukolikova, J. Pergl, and J. Stepanek Vegetative regeneration in invasive Reynoutria (Polygonaceae) taxa: the determinant of invasibility at the genotype level Am. J. Botany, October 1, 2003; 90(10): 1487 - 1495. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|