Document: KAT-3-31-15

Clonal foraging by introduced and native congeneric honeysuckle vines.

LARSON, K.C*

University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR ¹

Abstract:
Morphological plasticity in traits such as branching intensity and/or internode lengths give plants the potential to forage. In addition, growing plant parts circumnutate, or rotate about their central axis, with vines showing exaggerated circumnutation that allows them to twine up support hosts. This study contrasts the foraging success of an introduced and a native honeysuckle vine that differ in their morphological plasticity and in their circumnutation behavior. Specifically, I document the morphological and circumnutational responses of plants to shade cast by neighboring plants, and examine how changes in morphology and circumnutation impact foraging in a heterogeneous habitat. The invasive Lonicera japonica was able to change its circumnutation pattern in response to light environment. The native species, Lonicera sempervirens, had only a single circumnutation pattern regardless of the light environment. This difference in circumnution impacted foraging success, with Lonicera japonica having an increased capacity to: (1) find new support hosts, (2) exploit an existing host, and (3) establish independent vegetative clones.

Keywords: plasticity, circumnutation

This abstract is being presented at: 10:30 AM in session:
PLANT DEMOGRAPHY