CLONAL PLASTICITY IN RESPONSE TO NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY IN THE PSEUDOANNUAL HERB, TRIENTALIS-EUROPAEA L

Trientalis europaea plants were subjected to four levels of nutrient a vailability to test two hypotheses: (1) Clonal morphology of pseudoann uals with short-lived rhizomes is responsive to nutrient availability in terms of spacer length (a negative correlation expected) and branch ing intensity (a positive correlation expected), and (2) the size of t he hibernacles of T. europaea shows a positive correlation with nutrie nt availability. The results support the first hypothesis, since the p rimary spacers of T europaea were longer at lower nutrient levels whil e the branching intensity of the primary rhizomes increased at increas ing nutrient supply. The second hypothesis was not confirmed, however; the plants produced fewer, but bigger hibernacles at lower levels of nutrient availability. The ecological significance of the results is d iscussed in the context of foraging for essential resources and habita t-related effects of hibernacle size on survival and establishment cha nces of daughter ramets.