Demographic Cost of Reproduction in a Neotropical Herb: An Experimental Field Study

There are few empirical data for plants demonstrating unambiguously that an increase in current reproductive effort results in a demographic cost, i.e., a significant decrease in future growth, survival, or reproduction. In this study we experimentally created low— and high—reproductive—effort plants in a natural field population of a neotropical perennial herb and measured subsequent growth, survival, and reproduction. During the season subsequent to the experimental treatment, there were no significant differences in survival, growth, or reproduction between the two treatments. Thus, for long—lived perennial plants, an increase in reproduction may not result in a demographic cost. More experimental studies are needed to determine the generality of this result.