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Accession: PLT-OTH-1509 Research Theme: Botany (Research Study)
Contributors: Steven C. Pennings, Wenwen Liu, Keith Maung-Douglass, Donald Strong, Yihui Zhang
Title: Geographical variation in vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of the invasive Spartina alterniflora in China
Abstract: We studied patterns in vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of introduced S. alterniflora at 22 sites at 11 geographic locations over a latitudinal gradient of ~2000 km from Tanggu (39.05 °N, high latitude) to Leizhou (20.90 °N, low latitude) in China. We further evaluated the basis of phenotypic differences by growing plants from across the range in a common garden for 2 growing seasons. We found distinct latitudinal clines in plant height, shoot density, and sexual reproduction across latitude. Some traits exhibited linear relationships with latitude; others exhibited hump-shaped relationships. We identified correlations between plant traits and abiotic conditions such as mean annual temperature, growing degree days, tidal range, and soil nitrogen content. However, geographic variation in all but one trait disappeared in the common garden, indicating that variation largely due to phenotypic plasticity. Only a slight tendency for latitudinal variation in seed set persisted for two years in the common garden, suggesting that plants may be evolving genetic clines for this trait. Note that these data were collected as part of a National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) funded study led by Yihui Zhang in collaboration with GCE-LTER.
DOI: 10.6073/pasta/2a041623d0269ec604fa36f5936695d0
Key Words: geography, introduced, invasive species, latitude, nitrogen, phenotype, plant communities, salinity, sexual reproduction, Spartina alterniflora
LTER Core Area: Other Site Research
Research Themes: Botany, Population Ecology
Study Period: 21-Sep-2012 to 20-Sep-2014
Study Sites:
ChinaSA -- China Spartina Study, China
» Download Geographic Coverage: Google Earth
Species References: Spartina alterniflora
Downloads: Information

Data Table: PLT-OTH-1509-Abiotic (Abiotic measurements data table for data set PLT-OTH-1509, 150 records)

Access: Public (released 09-Sep-2015)

Metadata: Text (ESA FLED), XML (Ecological Metadata Language)

Data Formats: Spreadsheet (CSV) [9.58kb],  Text File [9.29kb],  MATLAB (GCE Toolbox) [139.33kb],  MATLAB (Variables) [121.71kb],  Text Report [27.63kb]

Column List:(display)


Data Table: PLT-OTH-1509-Garden (Common Garden study data table for data set PLT-OTH-1509, 200 records)

Access: Public (released 09-Sep-2015)

Metadata: Text (ESA FLED), XML (Ecological Metadata Language)

Data Formats: Spreadsheet (CSV) [11.66kb],  Text File [12.03kb],  MATLAB (GCE Toolbox) [147.59kb],  MATLAB (Variables) [130.98kb],  Text Report [30.81kb]

Column List:(display)


Data Table: PLT-OTH-1509-Geography (Geographic Survey data table for data set PLT-OTH-1509, 200 records)

Access: Public (released 09-Sep-2015)

Metadata: Text (ESA FLED), XML (Ecological Metadata Language)

Data Formats: Spreadsheet (CSV) [13.34kb],  Text File [12.66kb],  MATLAB (GCE Toolbox) [149.01kb],  MATLAB (Variables) [131.74kb],  Text Report [31.73kb]

Column List:(display)

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Citation: Pennings, Steven C. 2015. Geographical variation in vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of the invasive Spartina alterniflora in China. Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project, University of Georgia, Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/2a041623d0269ec604fa36f5936695d0

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants OCE-9982133, OCE-0620959, OCE-1237140 and OCE-1832178. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.