Experimental evidence for apical dominance in the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa

6 pages, 3 figures.The existence of apical dominance in the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson was elucidated by in situ experimental manipulation. Removal of the apical meristem of a C. nodosa horizontal rhizome promoted an increase in the branching rate of the rhizome which was mostly driven by a change in the growth form of the nearest vertical rhizome into horizontal growth. Although the elongation of the branches increased when the rhizome apical meristem was eliminated, total plant growth was reduced by severing of the apical meristem.This study was funded by the project AMB94-0746 of the Spanish Interministerial Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT). W.J.K. was supported by the sabbatical program of the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain.Peer reviewe