Estimating fitness from offspring counts in clonal seed plants

Aarssen, Lonnie W.

doi:10.4033/iee.2014.7.16.c

Cited by 5 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…in the most severely crowded vegetation, where most resident plants (regardless of their potential body sizes) are forced to remain at only a fraction of their species potential. Moreover, within such vegetation, recent research (Tracey & Aarssen 2011, 2014 has shown that species with higher numerical abundance generally have a relatively small maximum potential body size (MAX) and that this is associated with a relatively small minimum reproductive threshold size (MIN). In terms of success under competition, therefore, smaller species may have a 'reproductive economy advantage', conferring higher numerical abundance and hence increased gene copying and transmission success to future generations (Aarssen 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These relationships are of central importance to understanding the role of life history strategies in shaping the structure and function of plant communities, and in identifying accurate predictions for applied goals associated with habitat restoration and conservation. To address the above questions, therefore, we collected data from a two-season field experiment in the same old-field community used in Tracey & Aarssen (2011, 2014.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Species with larger body size do not dominate neighbourhood biomass production in old‐field vegetation

Tracey

Irwin

Mcdonald

et al. 2017

J Vegetation Science

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Aims Competitive ability in plants is defined traditionally by a ‘size advantage’ hypothesis – i.e. larger species are generally expected to be more successful under competition because of greater capacity for resource capture, and thus capacity to deny resources to neighbours (e.g. through shading). We therefore tested the prediction (for crowded herbaceous vegetation) that species with a larger maximum potential body size (dry mass) should: (1) have generally increased resident plant abundance (i.e. more rooted units), resulting from more successful recruitment of reproductive and/or clonal offspring; and (2) account for a relatively large proportion of the standing biomass within crowded neighbourhoods. Location Queen's University Biological Station (QUBS), Chaffey's Locks, Ontario, Canada. Methods A field experiment was used to record neighbourhood above‐ground biomass (dry mass) and resident plant abundance data for species within replicate plots in an old‐field meadow community – combined with body size metrics recorded for the same species in an earlier study at the same field site. Results The results, at both the community and plot level, showed that resident plant abundance was generally higher (as expected) for species that had more total neighbourhood (plot) biomass harvested in the previous year. However, these species tended to be relatively small, with relatively small minimum reproductive threshold size – not those with relatively large maximum potential body size. Conclusions These results suggest that in crowded vegetation, bigger species are not more successful competitors in terms of offspring recruitment/numerical abundance, nor do they have a larger contribution to neighbourhood biomass. Smaller species are contributing at least as much biomass as bigger species to their total neighbourhood biomass, in part because of their smaller minimum reproductive threshold size. These smaller species therefore have greater ‘reproductive economy’, which means that they are more likely to produce at least some offspring when conditions are especially crowded.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species with larger body size do not dominate neighbourhood biomass production in old‐field vegetation

Tracey

Irwin

Mcdonald

et al. 2017

J Vegetation Science

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“…Here, we refer to this as a lower “body mass density” (BMD), that is, dry mass per unit space occupancy. This is illustrated in Figure , where a single adult offspring (an individual “rooted unit”; Aarssen, ) produced by a parent plant belonging to a species with a large maximum potential body size (MAX) (Figure a) is depicted as having the same above‐ground space occupancy as 10 individual adult offspring produced by a parent plant belonging to a species with a much smaller MAX (Figure b). Total mass per individual plant (indicated by the amount of green space) is of course greater for the larger plant in Figure a, but there are more canopy mass “gaps” here (represented by the amount of white space) within the perimeter of space occupancy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, we predict that (1) Our results have important implications for the interpretation of "reproductive economy" in plants, that is, capacity to produce at least some offspring despite growth or body size limitation (e.g., due to crowding/competition, or because of limited time available for growth, flowering, pollination, or fruit/seed maturation), and hence the probability of reproducing before death (Aarssen, 2008(Aarssen, , 2015Aarssen et al, 2006). Previous studies indicate that reproductive economy is generally greater in smaller species because of a relatively small minimum reproductive threshold size (MIN) (Tracey & Aarssen, 2011, 2014Nishizawa & Aarssen 2014). The present results suggest that greater reproductive economy in smaller species may also be promoted by a relatively high fecundity per unit plant body space occupancy-because of a generally higher BMD in smaller species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only populations with a minimum of 20 resident plants were used, and where possible, up to five populations at least 2 km apart were sampled for each species. For each population, the largest individual “rooted unit” (Aarssen, ) of each species (based on visual estimation) was chosen for sampling. Individuals showing signs of heavy herbivore damage (e.g., missing stems indicated by breakage points) were avoided.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What does body size mean, from the “plant's eye view”?

Tracey

Stephens

Schamp

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Alternative metrics exist for representing variation in plant body size, but the vast majority of previous research for herbaceous plants has focused on dry mass. Dry mass provides a reasonably accurate and easily measured estimate for comparing relative capacity to convert solar energy into stored carbon. However, from a “plant's eye view”, its experience of its local biotic environment of immediate neighbors (especially when crowded) may be more accurately represented by measures of “space occupancy” (S–O) recorded in situ—rather than dry mass measured after storage in a drying oven. This study investigated relationships between dry mass and alternative metrics of S–O body size for resident plants sampled from natural populations of herbaceous species found in Eastern Ontario. Plant height, maximum lateral canopy extent, and estimated canopy area and volume were recorded in situ (in the field)—and both fresh and dry mass were recorded in the laboratory—for 138 species ranging widely in body size and for 20 plants ranging widely in body size within each of 10 focal species. Dry mass and fresh mass were highly correlated (r 2 > .95) and isometric, suggesting that for some studies, between‐species (or between‐plant) variation in water content may be unimportant and fresh mass can therefore substitute for dry mass. However, several relationships between dry mass and other S–O body size metrics showed allometry—that is, plants with smaller S–O body size had disproportionately less dry mass. In other words, they have higher “body mass density” (BMD) — more dry mass per unit S–O body size. These results have practical importance for experimental design and methodology as well as implications for the interpretation of “reproductive economy”—the capacity to produce offspring at small body sizes—because fecundity and dry mass (produced in the same growing season) typically have a positive, isometric relationship. Accordingly, the allometry between dry mass and S–O body size reported here suggests that plants with smaller S–O body size—because of higher BMD—may produce fewer offspring, but less than proportionately so; in other words, they may produce more offspring per unit of body size space occupancy.

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Hyperspectral imaging in assessing the condition of plants: strengths and weaknesses

Dominiak-Świgoń

Olejniczak

Nowak

et al. 2019

Biodiversity Research and Conservation

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Hyperspectral remote sensing of plants is widely used in agriculture and forestry. Fast, large-area monitoring is applied, among others, in detecting and diagnosing diseases, stress conditions or predicting the yields. Using available tools to increase the yields of most important crop plants (wheat, rice, corn) without posing threat to food security is essential in the situation of current climate changes. Spectral plant indices are associated with biochemical and biophysical plant characteristics. Using the plant spectral properties (mainly chlorophyll red light absorption and near-infrared range light reflectance in leaf intercellular spaces), it is possible to estimate plant condition, water and carotenoid contents or detect disease. More and more often, based on commonly used hyperspectral vegetation indices, new, more sensitive indices are introduced. Furthermore, to facilitate data processing, artificial intelligence is employed, i.e., neural networks and deep convolutional neural networks. It is important in ecological research to carry out long-term observations and measurements of organisms throughout their lifespan. A non-invasive, quick method ensures that it may be used many times and at each stage of plant development.

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Estimating fitness from offspring counts in clonal seed plants

Cited by 5 publications

References 21 publications

Species with larger body size do not dominate neighbourhood biomass production in old‐field vegetation

Species with larger body size do not dominate neighbourhood biomass production in old‐field vegetation

What does body size mean, from the “plant's eye view”?

Hyperspectral imaging in assessing the condition of plants: strengths and weaknesses

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