The resource balance of Milium effusum with emphasis on environmental resource supply

Summary

Growth of the broad-leaved graminoid Milium effusum, occurring in shady deciduous forests, was matched with periods of high light influx through the tree canopy in spring and autumn. Fertile shoots grew faster than sterile shoots. Leaves on flowering shoots were fully developed when the budbreak started on the trees, whereas nonflowering shoots had fully developed leaves when the tree canopy closed. Leaf concentrations of N and P were high (6.1 and 0.74% respectively) in spring but decreased as the leaves expanded. Maximum pool sizes of N and P in whole tillers were reached about one month after the onset of spring growth, whereas maximum spring pools of K, Mg, and Ca were timed with peak biomass about one month later. The leaves lost nutrients during summer when no growth took place. Since leaching losses were negligible, nutrients were probably allocated from the leaves to support root growth. Autumn reallocation to winter stores was low. The pattern of growth and nutrient use suggests that light availability, i.e., the resource in relatively lowest supply, regulates the investment of the resource in highest supply, i.e., nutrients. This is consistent with previously reported observations on Eriophorum vaginatum, a graminoid of low nutrient — high light environments. This species utilizes nutrients efficiently at the expense of less efficient acquisition of carbon. We suggest that selection for efficient utilization of the resource in lowest relative supply has been a strong driving force behind the physiological adaptation of both species to their environments.