Pattern and process: competition causes regular spacing of individuals within plant populations

Stoll, Peter; Bergius, Elke (2005). Pattern and process: competition causes regular spacing of individuals within plant populations. Journal of Ecology, 93(2), pp. 395-403. Blackwell 10.1111/j.0022-0477.2005.00989.x

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1 We used simulated and experimental plant populations to analyse mortality-driven pattern formation under size-dependent competition. Larger plants had an advantage under size-asymmetric but not under symmetric competition. Initial patterns were random or clumped. 2 The simulations were individual-based and spatially explicit. Size-dependent competition was modelled with different rules to partition overlapping zones of influence. 3 The experiment used genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana with different morphological plasticity and hence size-dependent competition. Compared with wild types, transgenic individuals over-expressed phytochrome A and had decreased plasticity because of disabled phytochrome-mediated shade avoidance. Therefore, competition among transgenics was more asymmetric compared with wild-types. 4 Density-dependent mortality under symmetric competition did not substantially change the initial spatial pattern. Conversely, simulations under asymmetric competition and experimental patterns of transgenic over-expressors showed patterns of survivors that deviated substantially from random mortality independent of initial patterns. 5 Small-scale initial patterns of wild types were regular rather than random or clumped. We hypothesize that this small-scale regularity may be explained by early shade avoidance of seedlings in their cotyledon stage. 6 Our experimental results support predictions from an individual-based simulation model and support the conclusion that regular spatial patterns of surviving individuals should be interpreted as evidence for strong, asymmetric competitive interactions and subsequent density-dependent mortality.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) 08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Vegetation Ecology [discontinued]
UniBE Contributor:	Stoll, Peter
Subjects:	500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)
ISSN:	0022-0477
Publisher:	Blackwell
Language:	English
Submitter:	Peter Stoll
Date Deposited:	30 Nov 2015 15:12
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:46
Publisher DOI:	10.1111/j.0022-0477.2005.00989.x
Web of Science ID:	000227721400016
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/67958