[Age structure and growth pattern of Polytrichum juniperum populations in a mire of Changbai Mountains].

In this paper, the age structure and growth pattern of two Polytrichum juniperum populations with and without sporophytes in Hani mire of Changbai Mountains were studied by 'innate annual marker' method. The ramets of both populations were composed of 6 age classes, and their quantity and biomass showed a declining age structure, which was more obvious in the sporophyte produced population. No significant difference of biomass was found (P > 0.05) between the two populations. The dry material accumulation of the ramets in both populations increased with aging, and showed similar patterns of linear function. The ramets mean height of sporophyte-produced population was 6.17% shorter (P < 0.05) than the another, because sporophyte production limited the height growth. The ramets mean height also increased with aging, and showed similar patterns of linear function. In non-sporophyte produced population, the variation coefficient of ramets height was only 2.44%, which indicated the significance of similar height for ramets survival. In sporophyte produced population, the variation coefficient of ramets height was 25.07%, while that of ramets biomass was 8.25%, suggesting the significance of similar biomass to the reproduction of population. The biomass of ramets had a significantly positive correlation with height in both populations (P < 0.001), and no allometric growth was showed.