Water Sharing Among Ramets in a Desert Population of Distichlis spicata (Poaceae)
Alpert P. 1990. Water Sharing Among Ramets in a Desert Population of Distichlis spicata (Poaceae). American Journal of Botany. 77(12):1648-1651
The author tested the hypothesis that salt grass (Distichlis spicata) survives in the arid environment of Death Valley, in part, because water is shared among established ramets. The study site was located approximately 9 miles (15 km) north of Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. The author found that water was transported among connected ramets, and severing connecting rhizomes decreased their water potential and survivorship. He also found that this species invests a lot of mass and nitrogen in underground organs, but this may be part of the cost of clonal growth in desert environments.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Alpert, Peter
- Units
- DEVA
- Keywords
- Death Valley National Park CA NV, Desert, inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), Physiology, Plant Moisture, Plant Studies