Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026
07:14
Light Preference Assay to Study Innate and Circadian Regulated Photobehavior in Drosophila Larvae
Published on: April 20, 2013
13.6K
The non-native plant Rosa multiflora expresses shade avoidance traits under low light availability.
Daniel M Dlugos1, Hilary Collins1, Elise M Bartelme1
1Biology Department, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 44118 USA.
American Journal of Botany
|August 21, 2015
Summary
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) shows limited shade tolerance, relying on canopy gaps for spread in forests. Management should target edge populations and monitor gaps to control this invasive shrub.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Invasive Species Biology
- Plant Physiology
Background:
- Shade tolerance is crucial for invasive plants in forest interiors.
- Rosa multiflora is an invasive shrub in the northeastern US, expanding from edges into forests.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the shade tolerance of Rosa multiflora.
- To understand how ecophysiological traits influence its spread into forest interiors.
Main Methods:
- Field studies documented R. multiflora density, fecundity, phenology, and photosynthesis in varying light.
- Greenhouse experiments exposed seedlings to simulated light conditions.
Main Results:
- R. multiflora density and fecundity increased with light; seed banks did not differ by light.
- Early leaf-out and extended retention, with higher spring/fall photosynthesis, were observed.
- Seedlings exhibited shade-avoidance, with reduced growth and branching but increased elongation.
Conclusions:
- R. multiflora utilizes extended growing seasons in spring/fall but requires canopy gaps for significant forest spread.
- Management should focus on reducing edge populations and monitoring canopy gaps.
Related Concept Videos
02:00Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light
29.1K
Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.
29.1K
02:16Light Acquisition
9.9K
In order to produce glucose, plants need to capture sufficient light energy. Many modern plants have evolved leaves specialized for light acquisition. Leaves can be only millimeters in width or tens of meters wide, depending on the environment. Due to competition for sunlight, evolution has driven the evolution of increasingly larger leaves and taller plants, to avoid shading by their neighbors with contaminant elaboration of root architecture and mechanisms to transport water and nutrients.
9.9K
01:57Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
28.9K
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
28.9K
01:21Frequency-dependent Selection
24.5K
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
24.5K
01:43Incomplete Dominance
32.6K
Gregor Mendel's work (1822 - 1884) was primarily focused on pea plants. Through his initial experiments, he determined that every gene in a diploid cell has two variants called alleles inherited from each parent. He suggested that amongst these two alleles, one allele is dominant in character and the other recessive. The combination of alleles determines the phenotype of a gene in an organism.
32.6K
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
7.1K
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
7.1K