HABITAT PARTITIONING IN VIOLA SORORIA AND V. FIMBRIATULA (VIOLETS, VIOLACEAE, POPULATION BIOLOGY).
Item
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Title
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HABITAT PARTITIONING IN VIOLA SORORIA AND V. FIMBRIATULA (VIOLETS, VIOLACEAE, POPULATION BIOLOGY).
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Identifier
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AAI8423113
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identifier
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8423113
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Creator
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YOST, SUSAN E.
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Contributor
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Dwight T. Kincaid
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Date
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1984
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Biology, Botany
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Abstract
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The overlapping distribution pattern of two violet species in a New York Hudson Highlands study area was found to be related to soil moisture and light conditions. Viola sororia grew in both moist field and woods habitats, where there was no difference in soil moisture content, and it tolerates low light levels. The closely related species, V. fimbriatula, was virtually restricted to the dry, sparsely vegetated areas of the field, apparently because it is more drought-tolerant, has higher light requirements and is a poorer competitor than V. sororia. Although there was some overlap in their distribution, competition between the two species in the field was reduced due to the patchiness of the environment, particularly of the soil texture and moisture content. Neither species grew well in waterlogged soil.;Measurements of environmental and vegetation factors; plant physiological response, size and carbon allocation; as well as experiments with transplants of adults, planted seeds and with soil disturbance were used to help explain the distribution pattern of the two violet species. Factors which appeared to affect the distribution pattern were light; soil factors (moisture, texture, and field capacity); and density, height and composition of associated vegetation. Other differences between the two species were in mortality of seedlings and adults, leaf water potential and wilting point, leaf shape and thickness, and reproductive rate. In contrast, factors which did not differ between the two species, and therefore probably did not have an effect on the distribution pattern at the study site, included seed germination, leaf predation, and soil pH. For both species, sun leaves were smaller but more numerous than shade leaves, and therefore total leaf surface area per plant was the same between the contrasting habitats of sunny field and shady woods.;Evidence from the transplant and seed experiments for considerable phenotypic plasticity in petiole length strongly indicates that V. fimbriatula is the same species as V. sagittata.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Biology
