Figure 3.

Results from the transplant experiments testing the scale-dependent feedbacks on S. mariqueter growth in terms of the biomass and density change versus spatial distances. (a) Short-range positive feedback is found within vegetation patches, as indicated by the net increase of total dry biomass (above- and below-ground biomass) per plot (mean ± s.e.), whereas long-range negative feedback is found in areas that neighbour the vegetation patches, as indicated by the net loss of biomass. Different letters above the bars indicate significant differences (p < 0.05). (c,d) Plant density change also indicates scale-dependent feedbacks during different periods. ‘Con.’ represents control treatments that exclude the competition effect by removal from neighbourhood above-ground biomass of transplant patches.