Adaptation of Rhizome Connections in Drylands: Increasing Tolerance of Clones to Wind Erosion

Abstract

Rhizome connections alleviated the negative effects of erosion on P. villosa, very likely because the erosion-stressed ramets received water and/or photosynthates translocated from those connected ramets that were not subject to erosion. This study provides the first evidence that maintaining rhizome connections helps plants to tolerate erosion in drylands.