Interspecific competition effects on phosphorus accumulation byHydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans
Xiufeng Zhang , Zhengwen Liu
DOI:
Received September 08, 2010,Revised January 07, 2011, Accepted , Available online
Volume 23,2011,Pages 1274-1278
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The competition between submersed plants has been recognized as an important factor influencing the structure of plant communities
in shallow lakes. The ability of different species to take up and store nutrients from the surrounding ambience varies, and hence plant
community structure might be expected to affect the cycling of nutrients in lake ecosystems. In this study, the uptake of phosphorus
by Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans was studied and compared in monoculture and competitive mixed-culture plantings.
Results showed that for both studied species the phosphorus concentrations of different tissues and of whole plants was unaffected by
competition. However, the quantity of phosphorus accumulated by whole plants of H. verticillata was significantly higher in mixture
culture than in monoculture, while that of V. natans was lower in the mixed culture. The results indicated that H. verticillata has a
competitive advantage over V. natans, when the two species are grown in competition, and is able to accumulate a greater quantity of
phosphorus.
