DOI: 10.5061/dryad.h44j0zptg
title: Data for: Variation in the role of the flag leaf in the reproductive effort of semi-arid rangeland bunchgrasses

description: This is the complete data set used in the manuscript titled
 "Variation in the role of the flag leaf in the reproductive effort of
 semi-arid rangeland bunchgrasses". It includes the responses of total
 propagule production, percentage of filled and unfilled seeds, and filled
 seed-specific mass in response to seed head shading and flag leaf removal
 in two semi-arid perennial bunchgrasses, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron
 cristatum) and squirreltail wild rye (Elymus elemoides). Seasonal
 volumetric soil moisture data is also provided.
description: Plants were randomly assigned into one of six flag leaf
 clipping/seed-head shading treatments: 1) flag leaves intact and
 seed-heads unshaded throughout the study (referred to hereafter as control
 plants), 2) flag leaves intact with post-anthesis seed-head shading, 3)
 pre-anthesis clipping flag without seed-head shading, 4) pre-anthesis
 clipping with post-anthesis seed-head shading, 5) post-anthesis clipping
 flag leaf without seed-head shading, and 6) post-anthesis clipping with
 seed-head shading. Flag leaves were clipped at the leaf collar sheathing
 the culm, and seed-head shading was provided by enclosing the
 post-anthesis seedhead in a mylar sheath. We tried to sample from 5 culms
 per plant, if at all possible, though culm breakage did occur; only culms
 that remained intact through the entire study period were used for our
 statistical analyses. As crested wheatgrass and squirreltail have distinct
 seasonal reproductive phenologies, these treatments were initiated at
 different dates throughout the study period, as noted in the supplementary
 metadata (S1). Starting June 2, weekly volumetric soil moisture
 (mol<sup>3</sup> mol<sup>-3</sup>) across 10 cm
 rooting depths adjacent to each sampled plant. Entire
 seed heads were harvested after seed filling was completed in control
 plants of either species. Seed heads were disarticulated, and visually
 separated into filled and unfilled seed fractions on a light table. The
 number of propagules in each fraction was counted, weighed on a
 microbalance to the nearest 0.001 mg, then scanned at 800 dpi resolution
 on a flat-bed scanner calibrated for use with WinRhizo image analysis
 software (Regent Software, Quebec, Canada) to determine the projected
 surface area (cm<sup>2</sup>) of each fraction. These data
 provided the total propagule number (empty + filled seeds), the proportion
 of filled seeds (filled seed/total propagules), aggregate individual
 filled seed area (total projected area/number), seed mass (total
 mass/number), and seed-specific mass (total area/total mass; mg
 cm<sup>-2</sup>).
description: # Data for: Variation in the role of the flag leaf in the reproductive
 effort of semi-arid rangeland bunchgrasses
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h44j0zptg](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h44j0zptg) This dataset contains the results of a field study examining the contributions of seed head and flag leaf photosynthesis to the reproductive effort of two arid-land perennial bunchgrasses. This was attained by removing flag leaves at two different periods over the reproductive period (before and after fertilization), as well as shading post-fertilized seed heads with mylar sheaths. Reproductive effort metrics include total propagule production (filled and unfilled seeds), percent filled seeds, as well as seed head average filled seed mass and filled seed specific mass (mass per unit surface area). ## Description of the data and file structure | Column heading | Explanation | Units or designators | | :------------- | :--------------------------------- | :------------------------------- | | SPP | Species | AGCR = Crested wheatgrass | | | | ELEL = Squirreltail wild rye | | Plant | Plant ID# | | | Culm | Culm ID | A, B, C, or D | | Flag | Flag leaf removal treatment | Control = unclipped | | | | Pre = clipped, pre-anthesis | | | | Post = clipped post anthesis | | HeadShade | Seed head shading treatment | Control = unshaded | | | | Bag = enclosed in shading sheath | | TotProp | Total propagules | Empty + filled seeds per culm | | FillNum | Number of filled seeds | Filled seeds per culm | | FillMassTot | Mass of all filled seeds | mg | | PerFill | Percentage filled seeds | | | FillAvePA | Average filled seed projected area | square cm | | FillAveMass | Average filled seed mass | mg | | FillAveSSM | Average filled seed specific mass | mg per square cm | | VSMAve | Average volumetric soil moisture | mol per mol | ## Sharing/Access information You may contact Erik Hamerlynck at [erik.hamerlynck@usda.gov](mailto:erik.hamerlynck@usda.g) ## Code/Software NA