Persistence of maternal nutrient effects in Plantago major: the third generation

• Published in: Ecology (Durham) Vol. 72; no. 5; pp. 1634 - 1642
• Main Authors: Miao, S. L., Bazzaz, F. A., Primack, R. B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC The Ecological Society of America 01.10.1991; Ecological Society of America; Brooklyn Botanic Garden, etc
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; BIOLOGIA; Biological and medical sciences; BIOLOGICAL COMPETITION; BIOLOGIE; BIOLOGY; BIOMASA; BIOMASS; BIOMASSE; Botany; COMPETENCIA BIOLOGICA; COMPETITION BIOLOGIQUE; EMPOTAGE; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; EXPERIMENTATION; EXPERIMENTOS; EXPERIMENTS; FENOTIPOS; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GERMINACION; GERMINATION; IMPACT SUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT; IMPACTO AMBIENTAL; Intraspecific competition; LEAF AREA; MADRE; MALEZAS; Maternal effect; MAUVAISE HERBE; MERE; MOTHERS; NUTRICION DE LAS PLANTAS; NUTRITION DES PLANTES; PHENOTYPE; PHENOTYPES; PLANT COMPETITION; PLANT INTERACTION; PLANT NUTRITION; PLANT POPULATION; Plant roots; PLANTAGO; Plantago major; Plants; Plants and fungi; POA ANNUA; POBLACION VEGETAL; POPULATION VEGETALE; POTTING; Reproduction; SIEMBRA EN MACETA; SUPERFICIE FOLIAR; SURFACE FOLIAIRE; Vegetation canopies; WEEDS; Monocotyledones; Plantago major; Poa; Germination; Trophic factor; Biomass; Leaf area; Maternal treatment; Plantaginaceae; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Interspecific competition; Intraspecific competition; Spermatophyta; Maternal effect
• ISSN: 0012-9658; 1939-9170
• DOI: 10.2307/1940963

Plants of Plantago major were grown for two generations in different environments. Seed germination of the second generation was examined for the effects of maternal environments, as well as subsequent plant growth and reproduction in the presence of inter- and intraspecific competitors. Maternal treatments were (1) plants that had received nutrient pulses in both the first and second generations (PP plants), (2) plants that had received a nutrient pulse only in the first generation (PC plants), (3) plants that had received a nutrient pulse only in the second generation (CP plants), and (4) plants that did not receive a nutrient pulse in either generation (CC plants). Under favorable conditions (with out interaction with a leaf canopy and root system of grasses), seeds of CC plants generally germinated earlier and had a higher final germination percentage. In contrast, under a Poa canopy, seeds of PP plants germinated earlier and had a higher final germination percentage. For adult plants, there were significant interactions between maternal environment and neighbor density. The effects of maternal environments on leaf area generally were evident before flowering but disappeared after flowering. The greatest difference in leaf area occurred between CC and PP plants, and these were often different from CP and PC plants. There was a significant three-way interaction among the type of competition, maternal treatment, and neighbor density of biomass characters. In intraspecific competition with one neighbor, the spike biomass was highest in PP plants followed by CP plants, PC plants, and CC plants, with the last significantly lower than the first two. In general, the juvenile maternal effect did not necessarily result in an adult reproductive advantage. The influence of the maternal environment differed among plant characters. These results demonstrate that maternal environmental factors can affect plant phenotypic characters for at least three generations. The expression and the extent of these maternal effects varied with the resource condition experienced by the progeny, the intensity of competitive interactions, and life history stage.