The importance of staying connected: Clonal integration drives establishment in a dune-building grass
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2026
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Abstract
Abstract Post-disturbance plant establishment is critical for foredune recovery, yet the mechanisms underlying it remain poorly understood despite their importance for resiliency under increasing storm activity. Most foredune-building species spread clonally via persistent rhizomes that allow physiological integration among connected ramets. We experimentally severed the youngest apical ramet from rhizomes of Ammophila breviligulata and compared responses to intact controls in a hierarchical paired design replicated across two growing seasons. Apical ramets were colonizing unvegetated blowouts as pioneer plants. We quantified mortality, photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization, biomass allocation, and water transport. Severance increased mortality in young ramets, with most deaths occurring in this age class (33% versus 5% in older ramets) within one week post-severance. Severed apical ramets also exhibited reduced Fv/Fm and lower total and aboveground biomass, indicating elevated physiological stress and constrained growth following integration loss. In contrast, older ramets showed neutral or improved physiological performance post-severance. Severance did not affect AMF colonization or root biomass, although colonization varied by age. Dye tracing showed bidirectional water transport to up to 13 ramets Although environmental conditions differed substantially between years, overall patterns remained consistent, suggesting that abiotic stress influenced the magnitude of physiological responses without altering the effects of severance. These findings demonstrate the importance of rhizome connections for the survival and development of young colonizing ramets and highlight clonal integration as a key mechanism underpinning post-disturbance dune recovery and stability.
| Reference Key |
openalex_W7170161387
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| Authors | Bianca R. Charbonneau, Colleen Cochran, Brenda B. Casper |
| Journal | journal of plant ecology |
| Year | 2026 |
| DOI |
10.1093/jpe/rtag170
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| URL | |
| Keywords | Keywords not found |
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