Ecological and evolutionary aspects of modular architecture in plants: Perspectives in marine algae.

Abstract

A review and analysis about several aspects on the modular construction in plants is presented, with emphasis on the ecological and evolutive consequences of this kind of construction. First of all, fundamentals that allow the reader to follow all the concepts without definition problems are given. Modifications done to the population models are analized, in order to incorporate the fact that plants are constructed by iterative unities. With concrete examples, consequences of modular construction in. form, size and regulation are described. Subsequently biological interactions with modular construction are approached, such as the relations that results from the competition between clonal organisms. The second section of the review is concentreated on the analysis of the concepts of modularity and clonality in the world of marine macroalgae. The definition of module in marine macroalgae is discussed with the conclusion that they can be conceptualized as modular organisms. All the ecological and evolutive consequences, analyzed for terrestrial vascular plants can be applied to the study of the ecology of marine macroalgae.