Wetlands

, Volume 33, Issue 6, pp 1095–1102 | Cite as

Morphological and Physiological Responses to Sediment Nutrients in the Submerged Macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum

Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

To improve the understanding of morphological and physiological changes of submerged macrophytes in response to different nutrient availabilities, Myriophyllum spicatum (a widely used lake restoration species due to its eutrophic tolerance in China) was planted in low-nutrient (TN 0.47 mg g−1, TP 0.10 mg g−1) and high-nutrient (TN 2.20 mg g−1, TP 1.91 mg g−1) sediments. The high-nutrient treatment reflected the eutrophication conditions in most lakes in the Middle and Lower Yangzi River Basin. Our results showed that the high nutrient level significantly increased the total biomass and affected shoot morphology traits; whereas the low sediment nutrient level significantly increased the root length of M. spicatum. The sediment nutrient enrichment significantly decreased the plant carbohydrate concentrations. Soluble sugar was positively correlated with the plant growth; however, carbohydrate concentrations in the auto-fragments only differed throughout its production period. It is noteworthy that most traits of M. spicatum respond rapidly between the treatments. These data demonstrate that M. spicatum can achieve a trade-off between its growth and storage by adjusting the pattern of biomass allocation in response to different sediment nutrients. Our study also implies that such flexible strategies would help M. spicatum adapt to the eutrophic environments.

Keywords

Biomass allocation Carbohydrate storage Morphological plasticity Myriophyllum spicatum L Sediment nutrients Submerged macrophytes 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

We thank Wen Xiong, Yuqin Han, Keyan Xiao and Manghui Tu for laboratory/field assistance and helpful discussions. We also greatly appreciate two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on an early version of the manuscript. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30930011).

References

  1. Adamec L (2010) Tissue mineral nutrient content in turions of aquatic plants: does it represent a storage function? Fundamental and Applied Limnology 176:145–151CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Aiken SG, Newroth PR, Wile I (1979) The biology of Canadian weeds. 34. Myriophyllum spicatum L. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 59:201–215CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Ali MM, Soltan MA (2006) Expansion of Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian water milfoil) into Lake Nasser, Egypt: invasive capacity and habitat stability. Aquatic Botany 84:239–244CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Barko JW, Smart RM (1983) Effects of organic matter additions to sediment on the growth of aquatic plants. Journal of Ecology 71:161–175CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Barko JW, Smart RM (1986) Sediment-related mechanisms of growth limitation in submersed macrophytes. Ecology 67:1328–1340CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Barko JW, Adams MS, Clesceri NL (1986) Environmental factors and their consideration in the management of submersed aquatic vegetation: a review. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 24:1–10Google Scholar
  7. Barrat-Segretain MH (1996) Strategies of reproduction, dispersion, and competition in river plants: a review. Plant Ecology 123:13–37CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Barrat-Segretain MH, Henry CP, Bornette G (1999) Regeneration and colonization of aquatic plants fragments in relation to the disturbance frequency of their habitat. Archiv Fur Hydrobiologie 145:111–127Google Scholar
  9. Bonser SP, Aarssen LW (2003) Allometry and development in herbaceous plants: functional responses of meristem allocation to light and nutrient availability. American Journal of Botany 90:404–412PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Boylen CD, Eichler LW, Madsen JD (1999) Loss of native aquatic plant species in a community dominated by Eurasian watermilfoil. Hydrobiologia 415:207–211CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Buchan LAJ, Padilla DK (2000) Predicting the likelihood of Eurasian watermilfoil presence in lakes, a macrophyte monitoring tool. Ecological Applications 10:1442–1455CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Cao T, Ni L, Xie P, Xu J, Zhang M (2011) Effects of moderate ammonium enrichment on three submersed macrophytes under contrasting light availability. Freshwater Biology 56:1620–1629CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Cao J, Wang Y, Zhu Z (2012) Growth response of the submerged macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum to sediment nutrient levels and water-level fluctuations. Aquatic Biology 17:295–303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Crossley MN, Dennison WC, Williams RR, Wearing AH (2002) The interaction of water flow and nutrients on aquatic plant growth. Hydrobiologia 489:63–70CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Deng ZM, Chen XS, Xie YH, Li X, Pan Y, Li F (2013) Effects of size and vertical distribution of buds on sprouting and plant growth of the clonal emergent macrophyte Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Poaceae). Aquatic Botany 104:121–126CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Dorken ME, Barrett SCH (2004) Phenotypic plasticity of vegetative and reproductive traits in monoecious and dioecious populations of Sagittaria latifolia (Alismataceae): a clonal aquatic plant. Journal of Ecology 92:32–44CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Grace JB, Wetzel RG (1978) The production biology of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.): a review. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 16:1–11Google Scholar
  18. Hajirezaei MR, Börnke F, Peisker M, Takahata Y, Lerchl J, Kirakosyan A, Sonnewald U (2003) Decreased sucrose content triggers starch breakdown and respiration in stored potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum). Journal of Experimental Botany 54:477–488PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Hangelbroek HH, Santamaría L, de Boer T (2003) Local adaptation of the pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus to contrasting substrate types mediated by changes in propagule provisioning. Journal of Ecology 91:1081–1092CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Hermans C, Hammond JP, White PJ, Verbruggen N (2006) How do plants respond to nutrient shortage by biomass allocation? Trends in Plant Science 11:610–617PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Huber H, Chen X, Hendriks M, Keijsers D, Voesenek LACJ, Pierik R, Poorter H, de Kroon H, Visser EJW (2012) Plasticity as a plastic response: how submergence-induced leaf elongation in Rumex palustris depends on light and nutrient availability in its early life stage. New Phytologist 194:572–582PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Karunagaran D, Ramakrishna Rao P (1991) Mode and control of starch mobilization during germination of seed of horse gram. Plant Science 73:155–159CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Kautsky L (1988) Life strategies of aquatic soft bottom macrophytes. Oikos 53:126–135CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Kimbel JC (1982) Factors influencing potential intralake colonization by Myriophyllum spicatum L. Aquatic Botany 14:295–307CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Madsen JD (1997) Seasonal biomass and carbohydrate allocation in a southern population of Eurasian watermilfoil. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 35:15–21Google Scholar
  26. Madsen JD, Smith DH (1997) Vegetative spread of Eurasian Watermilfoil colonies. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 35:63–68Google Scholar
  27. McFarland DG, Barko JW, McCreary NJ (1992) Effects of sediment fertility and initial plant-density on growth of Hydrilla verticillata (LF) Royle and Potamogeton nodosus Poiret. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 7:191–200CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Morris D (1948) Quantitative determination of carbohydrates with Dreywood’s anthrone reagent. Science 107:254–255PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Murphy KJ, Rørslett B, Springuel I (1990) Strategy analysis of submerged lake macrophyte communities: an international example. Aquatic Botany 36:303–323CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Niu YF, Chai RS, Jin GL, Wang H, Tang CX, Zhang YS (2013) Response of root architecture development to low phosphorus availability: a review. Annals of Botany 112:391–408PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Pilon J, Santamaría L (2002) Clonal variation in morphological and physiological responses to irradiance and photoperiod for the aquatic angiosperm Potamogeton pectinatus. Journal of Ecology 90:859–870CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Puijalon S, Lena J-P, Bornette G (2007) Interactive effects of nutrient and mechanical stresses on plant morphology. Annals of Botany 100:1297–1305PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Puijalon S, Piola F, Bornette G (2008) Abiotic stresses increase plant regeneration ability. Evolutionary Ecology 22:493–506CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Santamaría L (2002) Why are most aquatic plants widely distributed? Dispersal, clonal growth and small-scale heterogeneity in a stressful environment. Acta Oecologica 23:137–154CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Sarneel JM (2012) The dispersal capacity of vegetative propagules of riparian fen species. Hydrobiologia 710:219–225CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Smith CS, Barko JW (1990) Ecology of Eurasian watermilfoil. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 28:55–64Google Scholar
  37. Smith DH, Madsen JD, Dickson KL, Beitinger TL (2002) Nutrient effects on autofragmentation of Myriophyllum spicatum. Aquatic Botany 74:1–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Spencer DF, Ksander GG (1996) Growth and carbon utilization by sprouted propagules of two species of submersed rooted aquatic plants grown in darkness. Hydrobiologia 317:69–78CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Starand JA, Weisner SEB (2001) Morphological plastic responses to water depth and wave exposure in an aquatic plant (Myriophyllum spicatum). Journal of Ecology 89:166–175CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Sugiyama S, Bazzaz FA (1998) Size dependence of reproductive allocation: the influence of resource availability, competition and genetic identity. Functional Ecology 12:280–288CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Suzuki JI, Stuefer JF (1999) On the ecological and evolutionary significance of storage in clonal plants. Plant Species Biology 14:11–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Titus JE, Adams MS (1979) Comparative carbohydrate storage and utilization patterns in the submersed macrophytes, Myriophyllum spicatum and Vallisneria americana. American Midland Naturalist 102:263–272CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Vojtíšková L, Munzarová E, Votrubová O, Čížková H, Lipavská H (2006) The influence of nitrogen nutrition on the carbohydrate and nitrogen status of emergent macrophyte Acorus calamus L. Hydrobiologia 563:73–85CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. Wang J, Yu D (2007) Influence of sediment fertility on morphological variability of Vallisneria spiralis L. Aquatic Botany 87:127–133CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. Weber JA, Noodén LD (2005) The causes of sinking and floating in turions of Myriophyllum verticillatum. Aquatic Botany 83:219–226CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. Xiao K, Yu D, Wang J (2006) Habitat selection in spatially heterogeneous environments: a test of foraging behaviour in the clonal submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis. Freshwater Biology 51:1552–1559CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Xie D, Yu D (2011a) Size-related auto-fragment production and carbohydrate storage in auto-fragment of Myriophyllum spicatum L. in response to sediment nutrient and plant density. Hydrobiologia 658:221–231CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  48. Xie D, Yu D (2011b) Turion production and nutrient reserves in Potamogeton crispus are influenced by sediment nutrient level. Aquatic Biology 14:21–28CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Xie Y, Wen M, Yu D, Li Y (2004) Growth and resource allocation of water hyacinth as affected by gradually increasing nutrient concentrations. Aquatic Botany 79:257–266CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  50. Xie Y, An S, Yao X, Xiao K, Zhang C (2005) Short-time response in root morphology of Vallisneria natans to sediment type and water-column nutrient. Aquatic Botany 81:85–96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. Xie Y, Luo W, Ren B, Li F (2007) Morphological and physiological responses to sediment type and light availability in roots of the submerged plant Myriophyllum spicatum. Annals of Botany 100:1517–1523PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  52. Xie D, Yu D, Yu LF, Liu CH (2010) Asexual propagations of introduced exotic macrophytes Elodea nuttallii, Myriophyllum aquaticum, and M. propinquum are improved by nutrient-rich sediments in China. Hydrobiologia 655:37–47CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  53. Xie D, Yu D, You WH, Xia CX (2013) The propagule supply, litter layers and canopy shade in the littoral community influence the establishment and growth of Myriophyllum aquaticum. Biological Invasions 15:113–123CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. Yang Y, Yu D, Li Y, Xie Y, Geng X (2004) Phenotypic plasticity of two submersed plants in response to flooding. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 19:69–76CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  55. Ye C, Yu H, Kong H, Song X, Zou G, Xu Q, Liu J (2009) Community collocation of four submerged macrophytes on two kinds of sediments in Lake Taihu, China. Ecological Engineering 35:1656–1663CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. Yu LF, Yu D (2009) Responses of the threatened aquatic plant Ottelia alismoides to water level fluctuations. Fundamental and Applied Limnology 174:295–300CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  57. Zhang X, Liu X, Ding Q (2012) Morphological responses to water-level fluctuations of two submerged macrophytes, Myriophyllum spicatum and Hydrilla verticillata. Journal of Plant EcologyGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Society of Wetland Scientists 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.The National Field Station of Freshwater Ecosystem in Liangzi Lake, College of Life SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanPeople’s Republic of China

Personalised recommendations