Interaction patterns on populations of two clonal species in restoring succession series in a degraded meadow in Northeast China

Community succession is an orderly replacement process between dominant species of such community. The mutual opulations changes of two clonal plant species, Leymus chinensis and Kalimeris integrifolia , were analyzed during a process of restoration succession in a degraded meadow in Northeast China. It was based on the methods of space-for-time substitution and continuous sampling in different mixed ratios of community sections. The results showed that the two species populations adjusted the size of ramets to ensure a relatively stable number in the mixed community. The fluctuation and instability were more obvious in the K. integrifolia than in the L. chinensis population. While density/biomass of K. integrifolia showed a linear decrease, there was a concomitant L. chinensis population increase from the middle to the end of the growing periods. The density and taproot biomass of the K. integrifolia population decreased logarithmically with increases in the biomass/cumulative rhizome length of the L. chinensis population during the late and end periods of the growing season. With the progress of succession, K. integrifolia will be eventually replaced by L. chinensis . However, K. integrifolia would be a companion species in the community for a long time.