Clonal growth and longevity in alpine plants

Clonal growth strategies are abundant in alpine habitats. Nevertheless, long-lived giant rosette plants with a single big bang reproduction are common in tropical regions at high altitude. The complex life cycle of clonal pioneer species will be used to illustrate the diversity of clonal growth. The advantages of clonal growth include a high persistence in time and space, physiological integration and high tolerance to stress, spreading and foraging, as well as division of labour among parts of a clone. Important trade-offs (sex vs. clones, early vs. late flowering, persistence vs. dispersal), patterns of genetic diversity and factors important for species distribution in a naturally fragmented landscape will be explored.

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Introduction Introduction No choice: seeds and stolons are both necessary for population growth: Geum reptans Living the extremes, seeds for colonization, clonality for persistence: Epilobium fleischeri Born at the time of Jesus: the extremely slow-growing sedge Carex curvula No choice: seeds and stolons are both necessary for population growth: Geum reptans Living the extremes, seeds for colonization, clonality for persistence: Epilobium fleischeri Born at the time of Jesus: the extremely slow-growing sedge Carex curvula Examples of functional strategies Morphological types Phalanx and Guerrilla Benefits by the physiological integration of interconnected shoots Case studies of alpine clonal plants Functional strategies in clonal plants The advantages of clonal growth Clonal growth and form Morphological types Phalanx and Guerrilla Examples of functional strategies Conclusions Case studies of alpine clonal plants Benefits by the physiological integration of interconnected shoots Functional strategies in clonal plants The advantages of clonal growth Clonal growth and form Start Conclusions Review test Learning objectives Learning objectives Review test