Effects of Regional Origin and Genotype on Intraspecific Root Communication in the Desert Shrub Ambrosia Dumosa (Asteraceae)
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University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Biological Sciences Faculty Publications Biological Sciences 1-1996 Effects of Regional Origin and Genotype on Intraspecific Root Communication in the Desert Shrub Ambrosia Dumosa (Asteraceae) Bruce E. Mahall Ragan M. Callaway University of Montana - Missoula, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/biosci_pubs Part of the Biology Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Mahall, Bruce E. and Callaway, Ragan M., "Effects of Regional Origin and Genotype on Intraspecific Root Communication in the Desert Shrub Ambrosia Dumosa (Asteraceae)" (1996). Biological Sciences Faculty Publications. 290. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/biosci_pubs/290 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Biological Sciences at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biological Sciences Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AmericanJournal of Botany 83(1): 93-98. 1996. EFFECTS OF REGIONAL ORIGIN AND GENOTYPE ON INTRASPECIFIC ROOT COMMUNICATION IN THE DESERT SHRUB AMBROSIA DUMOSA (ASTERACEAE)' BRUCE E. MAHALL2 AND RAGAN M. CALLAWAY Departmentof Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, Universityof California,Santa Barbara, California93106; and Division of Biological Sciences, Universityof Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812 Previous work has shown that the contact inhibitionthat occurs among roots of Ambrosia dumosa shrubs has a self/ nonselfrecognition capability. In the currentstudy, we investigatedsome of the geographicand genotypicdimensions of this recognitioncapability by using root observationchambers to observe the effectsof encountersof individualroots on root elongationrates. We measuredsuch effectsin encountersbetween roots of plants fromthe same region and compared these to effectsin encountersbetween roots of plants fromtwo differentregions. We also measured effectsof encounters betweenroots of plants fromthe same clones and compared these to effectsof encountersof roots of plants fromdifferent clones. Roots of plants fromthe same region (population) showed the usual "nonself" precipitousdecline in elongation rates followingcontact, but when roots of plants fromdifferent regions contactedeach other,elongation rates continued unchanged.When rootsof separateplants from the same clone contactedeach other,the same "nonself" precipitousdecline in elongationrates as seen in encountersbetween roots of plants of differentclones fromthe same region occurred.Mean- while, in these same experiments"self" contactsbetween sisterroots connectedto the same plantsresulted in no changes in elongationrates. Thus, differencesbetween individuals from two geographicallyseparate populations of Ambrosiadumosa may be sufficientto thwartthe "nonself," population-levelrecognition of similarityapparently necessary for contactinhi- bition.Furthermore, the "self" recognitionmechanism, which precludes contactinhibition between two roots on the same plant,appears to be physiologicalrather than genetic in nature. Key words: Ambrosia;communication; community structure; desert shrubs; interplant signalling; root contact inhibition; root interactions;self-nonself recognition. Belowgroundcompetition for limiting resources is de- not inhibiteach otherfollowing contact, nor were Larrea pendentupon spatial proximityof primaryroots on the tridentataCov. (Zygophyllaceae) roots affectedby con- scale of the dimensionsof water and nutrientdepletion tact withAmbrosia roots. These resultssuggested the ex- zones around roots. Since these zones are usually less istence of an intraspecific,self/nonself recognizing com- thana few millimetresin diameter(Clarkson, 1985; Cald- municationsystem mediated by contact. Furtherwork well and Richards, 1986), the spatial proximityand, (Mahall and Callaway, 1992) supportedthe hypothesized therefore,the opportunityfor competitionamong two or contact requirementby showing that activated carbon more plants' root systemscould be stronglyaffected by mixed in the root medium had no effecton Ambrosia "communications" among individual roots that affect root communications.It was also observed thatthe non- root elongationrates. self recognitioncapability is not perfect,since in one out Such communicationsamong roots of the desertshrub of 17 Ambrosia test-targetpairs the testplant roots were Ambrosia dumosa Payne (Asteraceae) were discovered not inhibitedby contactwith the targetplant roots. (Mahall and Callaway, 1991) during an attemptto un- This observation suggested limits to the self/nonself derstandthe absence of competitiveinteractions among recognitionsystem might be displayed over ranges of clumpedAmbrosia shrubsgrowing in the Mojave Desert geographic or genotypicvariation. The purpose of the (Fonteyn and Mahall, 1978, 1981). Using chambers in work reportedhere was to explore the geographic and which it was possible to observe responses of individual genotypicdimensions of the self/nonselfrecognition ca- roots to each otherin the laboratory,Mahall and Calla- pabilityof Ambrosia dumosa roots by comparingthe ef- way (1991) found thatAmbrosia roots inhibitedelonga- fectsof encountersbetween roots of plantsfrom the same tion of roots on other Ambrosia plants only, and only region (population) with such effectsbetween roots of afteractual contact. Sister roots on the same plant did plants fromdifferent regions, and by comparingthe ef- fects of encountersbetween roots of plants of the same I genotypewith such effectsbetween roots of plants with Manuscriptreceived 17 January 1995; revision accepted 8 June this 1995. differentgenotypes, respectively. We have done by The authorsthank Allen Steward-Oatenfor his advice on statistics, measuringinteractions among rootsof plantsgrown from JohnBleck forhis kind and helpfulassistance in the UCSB Greenhouse seeds or cloned frommature plants collected fromtwo Facilities; the Universityof Nevada, Reno, for the use of theirgreen- desertsites 145 km apart,one near Desert Center,Cal- house facilities;Michael Christianson,Curtis Clark, and C. H. Muller ifornia,and the second near Yuma, Arizona. forhelpful suggestions and encouragement;Jochen Schenk, Jason Ham- ilton, and two reviewers for AJB for their helpful commentson the MATERIALS AND METHODS manuscript;and the UCSB Academic Senate and especially the Andrew W. Mellon Foundationfor the financialsupport of this research. Plant materials-Plants for the intra-and interregionalexperiments 2 Author for corresnondence. were grown fromseeds collected frominflorescences on plants during 93 This content downloaded from 150.131.192.151 on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:30:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 94 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY [Vol. 83 May 1991, froma site (33044' lat. and 115028' long.) near Eagle Moun- were estimatedin a single-classificationANOVA with unequal sample tain Road near Desert Center,California, and fromanother site - 10 km sizes (Sokal and Rohlf, 1981, p. 216). Root elongationmeans fortreat- northof Yuma along Route 95 (32050' lat. and 114022' long.). Since mentsand dates were estimatedusing the weightedaverages of theplant each collectionsite was relativelysmall (<200 m in diameter),a single means (rootelongation rates averaged per testplant X weightingfactor). population was presumablysampled in each region. In the laboratory The weightingfactors are WiIW,where Wi = 1/(Sp2 + [SR2/ni]),ni = these seeds were germinatedin wet sand in flatsbefore being trans- numberof roots measuredon plant i, and W = Wi. Standarderrors of planted into the root chambers. these estimatesof the means = 1/W. In addition,a repeated-measures For the intra-and intergenotypicexperiments whole, matureshrubs ANOVA, based on N = numberof test plants, with root elongation were collected fromthe same Desert Centerand Yuma sites duringJune rates averaged per test plant, was used to test for differencesamong 1992. The shoots of these plants were heavily prunedin the field,and treatmentsusing data fromall days presentedin the figures,including then theirmain roots were dug up. The plants were carried in large, those beforecontact. black, plastic bags back to the laboratory,where they were brokenapart by hand into pieces of main stemswith connected roots (see Jonesand RESULTS Lord, 1982) to produce clones of geneticallyidentical individuals from single plants. These clones were carefullylabeled and planted in fine, When roots of test plants grown fromseeds fromthe wet sand in pots. The cloned individualsthat survived to produce new Desert Center site contactedroots of targetplants of the into the root chambers. shoots,leaves, and roots were transplanted same origin, the usual (Mahall and Callaway, 1991, 1992), precipitousdeclines in elongationrates occurred Root chamber experiments-As in our previousstudies (Mahall and following contact (Fig. 1). Meanwhile, roots of these were Callaway, 1991, 1992), plantsfor the root interactionexperiments same test plants that did not contact targetplant roots in flat,rectangular chambers (20.5 X 12.5 x 2 cm, inside di- grown rates. However, when mensions), constructedof opaque polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC), continuedto elongate at unabated filledwith finesand ("Lapis Lustre," sieve size #60 [graindiameter = rootsof Desert Centertest plants contacted roots of Yuma 0.2-0.7 mm], RMC Lonestar,Pleasanton, CA) and orientedat a 450 targetplants