Summary
Time-consuming calorimetry is not necessary to determine energy allocation patterns in populations of plants with primarily carbohydrate seed reserves. In four ecologically diverse species there is no significant difference between energy allocation patterns based on calories and on dry weights of plant parts. Significant energy allocation differences among species and among populations of one species are reflected equally well by caloric and dry weight measures.
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Hickman, J.C., Pitelka, L.F. Dry weight indicates energy allocation in ecological strategy analysis of plants. Oecologia 21, 117–121 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345554
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345554