Abstract
The effects of simulated acid rain on the growth and interspecific competition of Echinochloa crus-galli and Digitaria sanguinalis were studied. Changes of growth in height and dry weight were examined and competition between the two species was investigated using the experimental model proposed by de Wit (1960). The experiments were carried out in the greenhouse, and test plants were germinated and grown for 4 weeks and then sprayed with simulated acid rain of pH 5.6, 4.2 and 2.8 for another 8 weeks. In de Wit replacement experiments, the variation of density and the treatment of simulated acid rain showed little effect on the interspecific competition between E. Crus-galli and D.sanguinalis. The ratio diagram, another method to reveal the interrelations between two competing species, always showed the predominance of E. crus-galli in competition, regardless of density and pH. The interspecific competition of the two species, represented by relative yield total (RYT), revealed that intraspecific competition was stronger than interspecific competition in both species.The treatment of simulated acid rain showed little effect on the growth of E. Crus-galli and D. sanguinalis. Height growth of both species did not differ from that of control (pH 5.6), but root/shoot ratio increased with the decrease in pH of simulated acid rain. Growth of tatal dry weight of E. crus-galli and D. sanguinalis was not influenced by the change of pH, except that D.sanguinalis showed a decrease in the total dry weight at pH 2.8 along with a visible sign of white spots on leaves. Physical environmental conditions can exert an effect on the interrelationships between the two species, but this experiment did not show the reversion of competition, and showed that E.crus-gilli was competitively dominant under any environmental conditions given in this study.