TY - JOUR
T1 - Response of three arid zone floodplain plant species to inundation
AU - Nicol, Jason M.
AU - Ganf, George G.
AU - Walker, Keith F.
AU - Gawne, B.
N1 - Export Date: 17 January 2018
Article in Press
PY - 2018/1
Y1 - 2018/1
N2 - For species to persist on floodplains and in temporary wetlands in arid climates, where large and unpredictable water level fluctuations are common, at least one life history stage must be able to survive inundation. We investigated the survival and performance (RGR, total biomass and above-to-belowground biomass (A:B)) of three common and often coexisting arid zone floodplain species: Xanthium strumarium, Cyperus gymnocaulos and Ludwigia peploides. Observations suggested the species had different responses to inundation, which was tested in a controlled pond experiment. Plants were held at three elevations (+ 10 cm, − 20 and − 70 cm) and subjected to three hydrological regimes (static 90 cm, 1 and 5 cm day−1 inundation) for 16 weeks. Xanthium strumarium died when completely inundated for longer than 4 weeks but when partially flooded survived, showed lower growth rates, increased A:B and produced adventitious roots. C. gymnocaulos showed reduced growth rates when partially flooded and senesced to rhizomes when completely inundated for longer than 4 weeks, which re-sprouted after inundation pressure was removed. L. peploides responded positively to flooding with increased A:B and the production of adventitious roots. The species exhibited three contrasting responses to inundation, which do not necessarily fit neatly within existing water regime functional classification frameworks
AB - For species to persist on floodplains and in temporary wetlands in arid climates, where large and unpredictable water level fluctuations are common, at least one life history stage must be able to survive inundation. We investigated the survival and performance (RGR, total biomass and above-to-belowground biomass (A:B)) of three common and often coexisting arid zone floodplain species: Xanthium strumarium, Cyperus gymnocaulos and Ludwigia peploides. Observations suggested the species had different responses to inundation, which was tested in a controlled pond experiment. Plants were held at three elevations (+ 10 cm, − 20 and − 70 cm) and subjected to three hydrological regimes (static 90 cm, 1 and 5 cm day−1 inundation) for 16 weeks. Xanthium strumarium died when completely inundated for longer than 4 weeks but when partially flooded survived, showed lower growth rates, increased A:B and produced adventitious roots. C. gymnocaulos showed reduced growth rates when partially flooded and senesced to rhizomes when completely inundated for longer than 4 weeks, which re-sprouted after inundation pressure was removed. L. peploides responded positively to flooding with increased A:B and the production of adventitious roots. The species exhibited three contrasting responses to inundation, which do not necessarily fit neatly within existing water regime functional classification frameworks
KW - Cyperus gymnocaulos
KW - Inundation
KW - Ludwigia peploides
KW - Xanthium strumarium
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063608787&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/c70dbabd-8b28-3ae9-b2a2-15335b89c222/
U2 - 10.1007/s11258-017-0777-z
DO - 10.1007/s11258-017-0777-z
M3 - Article
VL - 219
SP - 57
EP - 67
JO - Vegetatio
JF - Vegetatio
SN - 0042-3106
IS - 1
ER -