The hidden half of ontogeny and seasonal dynamics in perennial herbs

The life strategy of perennial herbs is dependent on coarse belowground
organs, such as rhizomes, bulbs, tubers, and storage roots, necessary for
repeated seasonal regrowth and often invaluable for vegetative
reproduction. Yet, the development of these organs in early life and its
links to the dynamics of aboveground parts is generally unknown. To
unravel the ontogeny and seasonal dynamics of belowground coarse organs in
perennial plants, we conducted a three-year experimental study with twenty
species differing by rhizome type. We confirmed that the ontogeny of
aboveground and belowground plant parts differ, that belowground ontogeny
is partly driven by species phenological strategy, and that there are
differences in ontogeny between belowground organ types. The costs of
coarse belowground organ constructions along with morphological
constraints occurring during ontogeny may govern species'
reproductive and carbohydrate storage strategies. Synthesis: We show that
to fully understand plant strategies, plants need to be studied as
integrated bodies consisting of aboveground and belowground organs
reciprocally influencing each other.