Summary
Armstrong (1982, 1983) predicted that all ramets within a clone should have the same ratio of biomass allocation to sexual reproduction versus vegetative growth. He presented data (1984) that he interpreted as showing that Solidago altissima ramets in a clone do have the predicted constant allocation ratio. Reanalysis of his methods shows that this conclusion was an artifact of his analysis. A simulation using random numbers and Armstrong's analysis showed the same pattern as his data. Data from S. altissima ramets of a single clone grown in a greenhouse experiment, using a different analysis, illustrated that the allocation ratios within a clone can be highly variable.
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References
Armstrong RA (1982) A quantitative theory of reproductive effort in rhizomatous perennial plants. Ecology 63:679–686
Armstrong RA (1983) On the quantitative theory of resource partitioning in rhizomatous perennial plants: The influences of canopy structure, rhizome branching pattern and self-thinning. Ecology 64:703–709
Armstrong RA (1984) On the quantitative theory of reproductive effort in clonal plants: Refinements of theory with evidence from goldenrods and mayapples. Oecologia (Berlin) 63:410–417
McCrea KD, Arahamson WG (1985) Evolutionary impacts of the goldenrod ball gall-maker on solidago altissima clones. Oecologia (Berlin) 68:20–22
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McCrea, K.D., Abrahamson, W.G. Reproductive effort in clonal plants: constant allocation ratios among ramets?. Oecologia 72, 358–359 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377563
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377563