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Light energy partitioning, photosynthetic efficiency and biomass allocation in invasive Prunus serotina and native Quercus petraea in relation to light environment, competition and allelopathy.

ABSTRACT: This study addressed whether competition under different light environments was reflected by changes in leaf absorbed light energy partitioning, photosynthetic efficiency, relative growth rate and biomass allocation in invasive and native competitors. Additionally, a potential allelopathic effect of mulching with invasive Prunus serotina leaves on native Quercus petraea growth and photosynthesis was tested. The effect of light environment on leaf absorbed light energy partitioning and photosynthetic characteristics was more pronounced than the effects of interspecific competition and allelopathy. The quantum yield of PSII of invasive P. serotina increased in the presence of a competitor, indicating a higher plasticity in energy partitioning for the invasive over the native Q. petraea, giving it a competitive advantage. The most striking difference between the two study species was the higher crown-level net CO₂ assimilation rates (A_crown) of P. serotina compared with Q. petraea. At the juvenile life stage, higher relative growth rate and higher biomass allocation to foliage allowed P. serotina to absorb and use light energy for photosynthesis more efficiently than Q. petraea. Species-specific strategies of growth, biomass allocation, light energy partitioning and photosynthetic efficiency varied with the light environment and gave an advantage to the invader over its native competitor in competition for light. However, higher biomass allocation to roots in Q. petraea allows for greater belowground competition for water and nutrients as compared to P. serotina. This niche differentiation may compensate for the lower aboveground competitiveness of the native species and explain its ability to co-occur with the invasive competitor in natural forest settings.

SUBMITTER: Robakowski P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5916994 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Abstract Oak regeneration is jeopardized by purple moor grass, a well-known competitive perennial grass in the temperate forests of Western Europe. Below-ground interactions regarding resource acquisition and interference have been demonstrated and have led to new questions about the negative impact of purple moor grass on ectomycorrhizal colonization. The objective was to examine the effects of moor grass on root system size and ectomycorrhization rate of oak seedlings as well as consequences on nitrogen (N) content in oak and soil. Oak seedlings and moor grass tufts were planted together or separately in pots under semi-controlled conditions (irrigated and natural light) and harvested 1 year after planting. Biomass, N content in shoot and root in oak and moor grass as well as number of lateral roots and ectomycorrhizal rate in oak were measured. Biomass in both oak shoot and root was reduced when planting with moor grass. Concurrently, oak lateral roots number and ectomycorrhization rate decreased, along with a reduction in N content in mixed-grown oak. An interference mechanism of moor grass is affecting oak seedlings performance through reduction in oak lateral roots number and its ectomycorrhization, observed in conjunction with a lower growth and N content in oak. By altering both oak roots and mycorrhizas, moor grass appears to be a species with a high allelopathic potential. More broadly, these results show the complexity of interspecific interactions that involve various ecological processes involving the soil microbial community and need to be explored in situ. Interactions between plants can involve a wide variety of mechanisms. Oak regeneration failure in the presence of moor grass in European temperate forests demonstrated not only competition by exploitation but also interference and even facilitation, allowing the discovery of an antagonistic interaction. In this paper, we highlight a new target of the oak–moor grass interaction: oak ectomycorrhizae. We show that in the presence of moor grass, young oaks have a lower: (i) total biomass, (ii) number of lateral roots, (iii) ectomycorrhization rate and at the same time (iv) a lower nitrogen content than oaks placed without moor grass.

Dataset Information

Light energy partitioning, photosynthetic efficiency and biomass allocation in invasive Prunus serotina and native Quercus petraea in relation to light environment, competition and allelopathy.

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