The effects of water level on the growth and reproduction of Scirpus maritimus var. paludosus

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the effects of water depth on the growth and reproduction of S. maritimus L. Plants grown at or above the water surface had higher shoot survivorship, greater numbers of vegetative tillers and higher underground biomass, while seed production was small. With increasing water depth plants had taller shoots and greater seed production but total biomass, numbers of vegetative tillers and underground biomass were reduced. This shift from clonal growth to seed production with increasing water depth is interpreted as a strategy that permits survival of S. maritimus populations through the wet and dry climatic periods of the Canadian prairies.