Heterogeneous distribution of soil nutrients increase intraspecific competition in the clonal plant Glechoma hederacea

• Published in: Plant ecology 2014-08, Vol.215 (8), p.863-873
• Main Authors: Roiloa, Sergio R., Sánchez-Rodríguez, Paula, Retuerto, Rubén
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Average linear density; Chlorophyll; Chlorophylls; Density; Fluorescence; Plant growth; Plant nutrition; Plants; Soil nutrients; Soil resources; Spectral reflectance
• ISSN: 1385-0237; 1573-5052
• DOI: 10.1007/s11258-014-0338-7

Small-scale heterogeneity strongly affects plant fitness and many ecological processes, and it can significantly influence the growth of individual plants, populations and communities. Generally, clonal species achieve significantly more growth when essential resources are patchily distributed than when resources are uniformly distributed. In this study, we aim to determine the effect of spatial heterogeneity in soil resources on intraspecific competition in the clonal plant Glechoma hederacea. We report the outcomes of a greenhouse experiment where high and low densities of plants were exposed to patchy and uniform distribution of nutrients. Our results showed that patchy distribution of resources exacerbated intraspecific competition between clonal systems. We found a reduction of total mass of clonal systems growing at high-density, especially under patchy conditions. Patchy distribution of resources conduct to high concentration of resources located in small areas, and as consequence increase the competition interaction between plants. This study demonstrates that full understanding of plant–plant competitive interactions requires consideration of spatial heterogeneity in nutrient supply.