Comparison Of Clone Population Characteristics Between Potentilla Flagellaria And P.anserina In Songnen Grassland

Potentilla flagellaria and P. anserina are typical clonal plant with stolon in Songnen grassland. Some similarities were found between the two Potentilla about population characteristics, module character and community environment. In this investigation, the number of maternal ramets and daughter ramets, length of stolon and spacer, distributed pattern of spacer and the relationship with community quantitative character were compared and researched between the two Potentilla. This offers basic data for more discussions to ecological and phenotypic adaptive strategy of the two population.P. flagellaria population plots were set in north the Leymus chinensis meadow of Northeast Normal University grassland ecological experiment station. P. anserina population plots were set in Yaojingzi grassland nature reserve of Jilin. 50cm×50cm quadrats and 30 repeats were located in the middle ten days of July, 2006. The population character and community character were investigated about the two Potentilla. The t-test was adopted to analyze the difference significance to the number of maternal ramets and daughter ramets, length of stolon and spacer, the multi-comparison (Duncan) was adopted to compare with length of spacer between each sequence number and the correlative analytical method(Pearson) was adopted to distinguish the relativity between the two population character and the community quantitative character. The results and conclusions of the investigation are as follows:1. In the same observation time, the number of maternal ramets and daughter ramets, the total length and the number of stolon and branching intensity of P. flagellaria clone population were higher than P. anserina. But the average length of spacer and stolon of P. anserina were more than P. flagellaria.In the same observation time, the number of maternal ramets and daughter ramets, the total length of stolon of P.flagellaria were higher but the total biomass was lower than P. anserina. The number of maternal ramets (t=5.36, df=29, p﹤0.01)and the total biomass(t=-3.24, df=29, p﹤0.01)had significant differences. But there were no differences in the number of daughter ramets.P.anserina was greater than P.flagellaria about the length of spacer and each stolon, and the length of spacer (t= -7.78, df=29, p﹤0.01)and length of each stolon(t= -2.50, df=29, p﹤0.05) had significant differences.In conclusion, P.anserina population belongs to"typical"guerrilla clone types, and P.flagellaria presents"relative phalanx types".2. The spacer length of P.flagellaria had a greater change in the same stolon, but P.anserina was even in all levels. The common character was that length of 1-3 nodes spacer that distance is the least from maternal ramets was the least, but length of spacer in the middle of stolon was greater. The spacer length in P. flagellaria stolon presents is the"short - long - short"distributing pattern, but the spacer length in P.anserina stolon presents is the"short - long".3. The community quantative character had different effects on P.flagellaria population and P.anserina population. Thereinto, the community environment of higher coverage took advantage to P.flagellaria population ramets clone and grow of stolon. The community environment of higher density had a restraining effect on the form of P.anserina stolon and the spatial extend. A modest shade had stimulative effect on the forms of daughter ramets about the two Potentilla.