Contrasting intra-annual population dynamics of two codominant species are consistent across spatial and temporal scales

1. Despite asymmetric competition and a wide array of functional similarities, two ecologically important C4 perennial grasses, Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans, frequently codominate areas of the mesic tallgrass prairie of the US Great Plains. A subtle difference in their vegetative reproduction strategies may play a role in preventing exclusion of S. nutans, the presumed weaker competitor in this region.
2. While A. gerardii vegetative tiller densities peak in the early growing season and decline thereafter (determinate recruitment), those of S. nutans may continue to increase throughout the growing season (indeterminate recruitment), providing a potential avenue for recovery from more intensive early season competition. However, until now these patterns have only been informally observed in the field.
3. We examined the year-to-year consistency of growing season vegetative tiller dynamics (measured as seasonal change in tiller densities) of each grass species from at an int..., ,