Journal
BIOLOGIA
Volume 64, Issue 4, Pages 694-704Publisher
WALTER DE GRUYTER GMBH
DOI: 10.2478/s11756-009-0067-x
Keywords
nutrient concentration; nutrient pool; relative yield; root biomass; root proliferation
Categories
Funding
- Grant Agency of the Czech Republic [206/02/0581]
- [AV076005908]
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We studied the effects of differences in root growth and nutrient pool on the competitive ability of Festuca ovina (short grass), Arrhenatherum elatius and Calamagrostis epigejos (tall grasses) grown in monocultures and in mixtures of homogeneous and heterogeneous environments during two growing seasons. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of plant species on nutrient concentrations in above-ground biomass and of substrate type on contents of N, K, Ca, Mg in biomass. The ANOVA also confirmed the significant effect of competitive environment on the concentration of N, K in above-ground biomass. In heterogeneous environments, both tall grasses (in competition with F. ovina) were able to produce more roots in the nutrient-rich patches and to accumulate more nitrogen in plant tissues, which was associated with higher yield of their above-ground biomass. Thus, the relative competitive ability for nutrients of both tall grasses was higher than that of F. ovina. This competitive ability of A. elatius to C. epigejos increased in heterogeneous treatments.
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