Simulated warming shifts the flowering phenology and sexual reproduction of Cardamine hirsuta under different Planting densities

• DOI: 10.1038/srep27835
• Publication Date: 2016-06-14T11:38:56Z
• Authors: YuSong Cao; Yian Xiao; Haiqun Huang; Jiancheng Xu; Wenhai Hu; Ning Wang
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0106 biological sciences; Periodicity; Hot Temperature; Climate; Reproduction; Flowers; 15. Life on land; Global Warming; 01 natural sciences; Article; 13. Climate action; Fruit; Cardamine; Seasons

AbstractClimate warming can shift the reproductive phenology of plant and hence dramatically reduced the reproductive capacity both of density-dependent and -independent plant species. But it is still unclear how climate warming affects flowering phenology and reproductive allocation of plant under different planting densities. Here, we assessed the impact of simulated warming on flowering phenology and sexual reproduction in the ephemeral herb Cardamine hirsuta under four densities. We found that simulated warming delayed the onset of flowering averagely for 3.6 days but preceded the end of flowering for about 1 day, which indicated climate warming shortened the duration of the flowering. And the flowering amplitude in the peak flowering day also dramatically increased in the simulated warming treatment, which caused a mass-flowering pattern. Climate warming significantly increased the weights of the fruits, seeds and seed, but reduced fruit length and sexual reproductive allocation under all the four densities. The duration of flowering was shortened and the weights of the fruits, seeds and seed and sexual reproductive allocation were reduced under The highest density.