Effect of root competition on growth of Vicia angustifolia:tragedy of the commons?

A study was conducted with Vicia angustifolia, a common species in alpine meadow in Gannan, for comparision of the effects of different nutrients, pot partitions and activated carbon on root growth, proving whether the existence of tragedy of the commons, and understanding root identification mechanism. The treatments were included 3 factors which were nutrients, pot partitions or activated carbon under 2 levels of nutrient solutions (0.5 or 0.1 strength Hoaglands solution). Results from this study indicated that reproduction biomass had prominent response to the nutrient solution only; pot partition and activated carbon treatments affected the most of tested parameters significantly. Root biomass, aboveground biomass, total biomass, reproduction biomass, radio of reproduction biomass to total biomass, flower and pod numbers had increased significantly under non pot partition treaments compared to pot partitions. Allocation of biomass in V. angustifolia plants in response to root competition did not show the existence of tragedy of the commons and there was no balance bewteen root overproduction and reproduction allocation. However, the root identification mechanism of V. angustifolia is allelopathy.