Bud bank dynamics
(Benson, Hartnett et al. 2004) study suggest that the densities and dynamics of tallgrass prairie plant populations, as well as their response to disturbance (e.g., fire and grazing) and climatic variability, may be mediated principally through effects on the demography of belowground bud populations. Patterns of seed reproduction and seed bank populations have little influence on short-term aboveground population dynamics of tallgrass prairie perennials.
Our results indicate that fire in tallgrass prairie strongly influences the production of belowground meristems and rhizome bud bank population size, contributing significantly to overall vegetation responses to fire. Total rhizome bud density increased with more frequent burning, and this increase was driven primarily by augmentation of the belowground grass bud population.
Clonally produced grass and forb ramets comprised > 99% of all established shoots …show more content…
Reduced density above- or below-ground during the growing season following drought may allow for the persistence of species relatively more reliant on recruitment from seed banks in favorable micro- sites (Carter, VanderWeide et al. 2012).
Belowground bud production mediates many responses of tallgrass prairie grasses to temporal environmental variation, and clonal spread contributes to dominance in successional plant communities (Carter and VanderWeide 2014).
Plant development can place significant constraints on tradeoffs between the reproductive modes in perennial grasses and could affect their plasticity in plant reproductive allocation. Differences in developmental phenology and bud production between flowering and vegetative tillers may influence grass responses to environmental changes such as altered precipitation regimes or resource availability (Ott and Hartnett
(Benson, Hartnett et al. 2004) study suggest that the densities and dynamics of tallgrass prairie plant populations, as well as their response to disturbance (e.g., fire and grazing) and climatic variability, may be mediated principally through effects on the demography of belowground bud populations. Patterns of seed reproduction and seed bank populations have little influence on short-term aboveground population dynamics of tallgrass prairie perennials.
Our results indicate that fire in tallgrass prairie strongly influences the production of belowground meristems and rhizome bud bank population size, contributing significantly to overall vegetation responses to fire. Total rhizome bud density increased with more frequent burning, and this increase was driven primarily by augmentation of the belowground grass bud population.
Clonally produced grass and forb ramets comprised > 99% of all established shoots …show more content…
Reduced density above- or below-ground during the growing season following drought may allow for the persistence of species relatively more reliant on recruitment from seed banks in favorable micro- sites (Carter, VanderWeide et al. 2012).
Belowground bud production mediates many responses of tallgrass prairie grasses to temporal environmental variation, and clonal spread contributes to dominance in successional plant communities (Carter and VanderWeide 2014).
Plant development can place significant constraints on tradeoffs between the reproductive modes in perennial grasses and could affect their plasticity in plant reproductive allocation. Differences in developmental phenology and bud production between flowering and vegetative tillers may influence grass responses to environmental changes such as altered precipitation regimes or resource availability (Ott and Hartnett