LEAF AND FLOWER DEMOGRAPHY OF TRIFOLIUM REPENS L.

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Abstract
Summary: Ramets from a single individual of Trifolium repens L. were introduced into pure stands of Agrostis tenuis Sibth., Dactylis glomerata L., Lolium perenne L., Phleumpratense L. and Trifolium repens L. and into a bare soil (control) plot. At weekly intervals for 59 weeks, births and deaths of leaves and flowers, and extension of stolons were recorded. These birth and death statistics were used to calculate life spans, natality and mortality rates, age class distributions and other demographic characteristics of the population of leaves and flowers of T. repens L. Recruitment and death of leaves occurred throughout most of the year; flowers were produced from mid‐March to late October and deaths occurred from April to November. Rates of leaf and flower population change differ between treatments. The average life spans of leaves did not vary significantly between the five treatments but was longer in the control; the timing of births had a strong influence on the expectation of life. Stolon extension rates also varied quite markedly in the presence of different neighbours. A summary table is presented showing the array of responses displayed by this single genotype of T. repens L. in a range of environments.