Document: HEL-3-99-153

Light environment controls of native and exotic vine growth.

THOMPSON, H.C.* ¹, S.T.A.PICKETT ² and D.WHIGHAM ³

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1582 USA ¹
The Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook NY 12545-0129 USA ²
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037 USA ³

Abstract:
Exotic vines are abundant in urban forest gaps along the East Coast and thus are integral in gap regeneration. By comparing growth of exotic and native vines in different light environments we investigate the potential for exotic vines to alter native gap regeneration processes. We compared growth, allocation pattern and nutrient content of three exotic vines; Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Celastrus orbiculatus, and Lonicera japonica, and two native vines; Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Vitis vulpina. Vines were grown in four light environments using a factorial design in which high and low light levels were crossed with heterogeneous(constructed gap) and homogeneous (shadehouse) light availability patterns. A. brevipedunculata and V. vulpina had the highest relative growth rates, followed by L. japonica. These three species had a greater number of branches per stem and the higher carbon:nitrogen ratios. A. brevipedunculata and V. vulpina produced the greatest leaf areas. Exotic species did not differ from natives in one specific strategy, instead each exotic exhibited a unique suite of traits. The exotics, A. brevipedunculata and L. japonica had the greatest length, and exotic species had the greatest relative increases in root biomass. Exotics were morphologically plastic for most traits measured, while the abundant native V. vulpina was not. Exotic vines species should be evaluated individually to determine their affect on gap regeneration.

Keywords: vines,exotic

This abstract is being presented at: 1:30 PM in session:
Oral Session #10: Light Relations in Plants.