Clonal Integration and Regeneration in Bamboo Bashania Fargesii

Bashania fargesii is one of the main food sources for giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains and an important part of forest regeneration after cultivation. The species typically invades old fields through clonal rhizome growth, but we lack knowledge on the importance of clonal integration in this response to episodic changes. Here, we first established 25 transects at eight sites to reveal the invasion of B. fargesii into old-fields. Secondly, we examined the existence of clonal integration (water sharing) in this species using acid fuchsin dye (0.5 %; m/v). Thirdly, we set up a controlled experiment to examine whether clonal integration helps bamboo regeneration under giant panda herbivory. Together, the experiments help understand the use of B. fargesii for giant panda forest management. B. fargesii invasion into old-fields was detected and decreased during change; that is, older fields had less invasion. Clonal integration occurred distally (to old-fields) and proximally (to bamboo forests), with maximum distal distance 3.84 m and proximal 2.13 m. Rhizome severing and culm clipping initially enhanced the performance of bamboo regeneration, especially number of leaves and branches (foraging). Furthermore, for the second year, number of leaves and branches were significantly more while we found no significant effects in the third year. In conclusion, B. fargesii is one of the pioneer plants invading into old-fields but the invasion decreases with change. Ramets at the boundary of old-fields and bamboo forest share water via clonal integration. Intermediate episodic changes (including ramet disconnection and moderate herbivory) could initially help B. fargesii growth, though the impact lessened over time. These findings provided some scientific bases for the management of B. fargesii bamboo forests for giant panda habitat; additional water/soluble nutrients and intermediate episodic changes could be considered for future Bashania bamboo forest management.