Ramet versus sporocarp production in the aquatic fern Salvinia auriculata (Salviniaceae): the role of shading
Jessica Cristina Carvalho Medeiros
A B F , Josiane Carvalho Fonseca Silva B , Tamiris da Silveira Campos Resende B , Grazielle Sales Teodoro C , Fabrício José Pereira D and Flávia de Freitas Coelho E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A University of São Paulo – USP, Institute of Bioscience, Ecology, Rua do Matão, Travessa 14, no. 101, Postal Code 05508-090, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
B Federal University of Lavras – UFLA, Applied Ecology Program, Department of Biology, Campus Universitário, PO Box 3037, Postal Code 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
C Federal University of Pará – UFPA, Institute of Biological Science, Rua Augusto Corrêa, Postal Code 66075110, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
D Federal University of Alfenas – UNIFAL, Institute of Nature Sciences, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, Postal Code 37130001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
E Federal University of Lavras – UFLA, Botany Program, Department of Biology, Campus Universitário, PO Box 3037, Postal Code 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
F Corresponding authors. Email: j_medeiros@usp.br; jcc-bio@hotmail.com
Australian Journal of Botany 66(7) 583-588 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT18062
Submitted: 22 March 2018 Accepted: 28 October 2018 Published: 14 December 2018
Abstract
Aquatic plants exposed to environmental changes exhibit plastic responses, resulting in functional adjustments to reduce stress effects. Lack of light can limit plant development and can affect biomass allocation and reproduction, stressing plants and sometimes halting their growth. Shading techniques have been used to control the excessive growth of weed plants, such as the aquatic fern Salvinia auriculata Aublet that can form dense mats on the water surface, causing problems in water use. We used shading nets in a greenhouse experiment to evaluate the effect of shade on the biomass of S. auriculata, and to determine if the fern changes its allocation of biomass to sexual (sporocarps) or asexual (buds) reproduction under different shade levels (full-sun control, 35% shade, and 70% shade). Under shade conditions, ramet biomass decreased and no sporocarps were produced, although the number of buds increased. Production of structures for sexual reproduction incurs a high energy cost, so S. auriculata invested in bud production (clonal reproduction). The differing energy requirements resulted in a significant trade-off between bud and sporocarp production. In conclusion, our study indicated that shading is not an efficient control technique for S. auriculata since it did not affect the clonal reproduction, a strategy that accelerates colonisation and facilitates rapid spread.
Additional keywords: asexual reproduction, environmental adaptation, fern biology, plant propagation, plant stress tolerance, reproductive ecology.
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