Altitudinal changes in the growth and allometry of Rumex alpinus

0381173 - BÚ 2013 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Šťastná, P. - Klimešová, Jitka - Doležal, Jiří
Altitudinal changes in the growth and allometry of Rumex alpinus.
Alpine Botany. Roč. 122, č. 1 (2012), s. 35-44. ISSN 1664-2201. E-ISSN 1664-221X
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/07/0808; GA AV ČR IAA600050802; GA MŠMT(CZ) MEB061007
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Institutional support: RVO:67985939
Keywords : Clonal growth * Flowering * Morphological markers
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 1.769, year: 2012

Alpine plants growing along altitudinal gradients have been traditionally considered to have reduced flowering and growth and enhanced clonality toward higher altitudes. This pattern, however, has seldom been studied for multiple characteristics in one plant species and over several years, and thus its generality is uncertain. In the present study, we used annual growth markers on perennial rhizomes (herbchronology) to analyze the long-term growth of Rumex alpinus. By determining the width and length of rhizome segments (annual increments) and the numbers of leaf scars, inflorescence scars, dormant buds, and branches preserved on rhizomes, we analyzed past growth for more than 10 years at seven sites along an altitudinal gradient (950-1,900 m a.s.l.) in the Low Tatra Mts., West Carpathians, Slovakia. We determined where growth was optimum on the gradient and whether the data supported the common opinion that clonal growth is enhanced and flowering is reduced with increasing altitude
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0211701