Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
I conducted a greenhouse study in order to examine the effects of hydrology
and its interaction with gibberellic acid (GA3) on the invasive exotic Lygodium
microphyllum (Old World climbing fern) growth and physiology. Three hydrological
(flood, drought and field capacity) and three hormonal (gibberellic acid, paclobutrazol
and water) treatments were studied using a 3x3 factorial experimental design. Plants
under flooded conditions had a significantly lower relative growth rate compared to
plants under field capacity or drought. Plants under flooded conditions showed a
significantly lower specific leaf area and area-based photosynthetic rate than plants
under field capacity and drought treatments, resulting in significantly lower massbased
photosynthesis. Overall, the variation in growth response to treatments was
most explained by mass-based photosynthesis (r^2=0.66). Treatments with gibberellic
acid or paclobutrazol (GA inhibitor) resulted in no differences in growth as compared
to untreated plants.
and its interaction with gibberellic acid (GA3) on the invasive exotic Lygodium
microphyllum (Old World climbing fern) growth and physiology. Three hydrological
(flood, drought and field capacity) and three hormonal (gibberellic acid, paclobutrazol
and water) treatments were studied using a 3x3 factorial experimental design. Plants
under flooded conditions had a significantly lower relative growth rate compared to
plants under field capacity or drought. Plants under flooded conditions showed a
significantly lower specific leaf area and area-based photosynthetic rate than plants
under field capacity and drought treatments, resulting in significantly lower massbased
photosynthesis. Overall, the variation in growth response to treatments was
most explained by mass-based photosynthesis (r^2=0.66). Treatments with gibberellic
acid or paclobutrazol (GA inhibitor) resulted in no differences in growth as compared
to untreated plants.
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