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No significant relationship exists between seedling relative growth rate under nutrient limitation and potential tissue toxicity
Article first published online: 13 MAR 2002
DOI: 10.1046/j.0269-8463.2001.00598.x
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How to Cite
Almeida-Cortez, J. S. and Shipley, W. (2002), No significant relationship exists between seedling relative growth rate under nutrient limitation and potential tissue toxicity. Functional Ecology, 16: 122–127. doi: 10.1046/j.0269-8463.2001.00598.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 13 MAR 2002
- Article first published online: 13 MAR 2002
- Received 20 April 2001; revised 26 July 2001; accepted 14 August 2001
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Asteraceae;
- chemical defence;
- relative growth rate;
- RGR;
- secondary compounds
Summary
- 1We asked two questions in this study: (i) is there is there a negative correlation between relative growth rate (RGR) among 19 species of herbaceous Asteraceae grown under nutrient limitation and potential tissue toxicity; and (ii) is the degree of toxicity of these species different than those measured in a previous study, in which the same species were grown under non-limiting conditions?
- 2In the present study we grew 19 of the same species as previously in hydroponic sand culture for which the growth rate was limited by nutrient supply, and compared RGR and potential tissue toxicity due to secondary compounds. Under such conditions, RGR was reduced by 25%; specific leaf area was reduced by 32%; root : shoot ratios were increased by 320%; leaf nitrogen content was reduced by 69%; and potential toxicity was decreased by 46%.
- 3Although nutrient limitation clearly decreased both RGR and potential toxicity, we found no interspecific correlation between RGR and toxicity.
- 4We conclude that there was no detectable trade-off between RGR and potential toxicity due to secondary compounds.