Studies on Plant Demography: Ranunculus Repens L., R. Bulbosus L. and R. Acris L.: III. A Mathematical Model Incorporating Multiple Modes of Reproduction

Sarukhan, Jose and Gadgil, Madhav (1974) Studies on Plant Demography: Ranunculus Repens L., R. Bulbosus L. and R. Acris L.: III. A Mathematical Model Incorporating Multiple Modes of Reproduction. In: Journal of Ecology, 62 (3). pp. 921-936.

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Abstract

This paper presents a comparative population dynamics study of three closely related species of buttercups (Ranunculus repens, R. acris, and R. bulbosus). The study is based on an investigation of the behaviour of the seeds in soil under field conditions and a continuous monitoring of survival and reproduction of some 9000 individual plants over a period of 21/2 years in a coastal grassland in North Wales. The data were analysed with the help of an extension of Leslie's matrix method which makes possible an simultaneous treatment of vegetative and sexual reproduction. It was found that R. repens (a) depends more heavily on vegetative as compared with sexual reproduction, (b) shows indications of negatively density-dependent population regulation, and (c) exhibits little variation in population growth rates from site to site and from one year to the next. In contrast, R. bulbosus (a) depends exclusively on sexual reproduction, (b) shows indications of a positively density-dependent population behaviour, and (c) exhibits great variation in population growth rates from site to site and from one year to the next. R. acris exhibits an intermediate behaviour in all these respects. It is suggested that the attributes of R. repens are those expected of a species inhabiting a stable environment, while R. bulbosus exhibits some of the characteristics of a fugitive species.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal of Ecology
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons
Additional Information:	Copy right of this article belongs to John Wiley and Sons.
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for Theoretical Studies (Ceased to exist at the end of 2003)
Date Deposited:	09 Jan 2010 05:37
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 05:49
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/24285

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