Reproductive strategies and growth patterns in four legumes

The partitioning of dry matter into component plant parts has been traced for four legumes. The four species were chosen to represent different positions along the r-K continuum. Three of the species, Medicago lupulina, M. sativa, and Trifolium pratense, behaved essentially as predicted by r- and K-selection theory. However, the stolons of T. repens are formed within 7 weeks of germination and thus permit this species to reproduce sooner than Medicago lupulina can reproduce by seed. In this way, T. repens can behave as an r strategist in an environment imposing density-dependent regulation (a ‘K' type environment).