The community-level effect of light on germination timing in relation to seed mass: a source of regeneration niche differentiation

2014 ◽  
Vol 204 (3) ◽  
pp. 496-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunhui Zhang ◽  
Charles G. Willis ◽  
Liana T. Burghardt ◽  
Wei Qi ◽  
Kun Liu ◽  
...  
Genetika ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 679-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uros Zivkovic ◽  
Danijela Miljkovic ◽  
Natasa Barisic-Klisaric ◽  
Aleksej Tarasjev ◽  
Stevan Avramov

We analyzed genetic variability and phenotypic plasticity of flowering pattern and reproductive success in 97 clonal genotypes of Iris variegata originating from contrasting light habitats in Deliblato Sands and expressed under different experimental light conditions. Rhizome segments were taken from each of these clones and transplanted in the experimental garden near the Institute for Biological Research in Belgrade. Significant differences between genotypes were found for two traits (start of flowering, average flowering time). Genotypes originating from open and understory habitats significantly differed for three traits (number of flowers, number of capsules/number of flowers, seed mass/capsule). Significant effect of light treatment were found for three traits (number of capsules/number of flowers, seed mass/capsule, average seed mass). Statistically significant correlations between explored traits were generally similar but also to some extent habitat and treatment specific. Comparing these results with research carried out on congeneric species we noted that there are similar responses for some traits, but also significant differences in some components of flowering and fruiting success.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Arène ◽  
Laurence Affre ◽  
Aggeliki Doxa ◽  
Arne Saatkamp

AbstractUnderstanding how plant traits interact with climate to determine plant niches is decisive for predicting climate change impacts. While lifespan and seed size modify the importance of germination timing, germination traits such as base temperature and base water potential directly translate climatic conditions into germination timing, impacting performance in later life stages. Yet we do not know how base temperature, base water potential, seed mass, lifespan and climate are related. We tested the relationships between base temperature and base water potential for germination, seed size and lifespan while controlling for bioclimatic regions. We also quantified the phylogenetic signal in germination traits and seed size using Pagel's λ. We used a worldwide data set of germination responses to temperature and moisture, seed size and lifespan of 240 seed plants from 49 families. Both germination temperature and moisture are negatively related to seed size. Annual plants show a negative relation between seed size and base water potential, whereas perennials display a negative relation between base temperature and seed mass. Pagel's λ highlighted the slow evolution of base temperature for germination, comparable to seed mass while base water potential was revealed to be labile. In the future, base water potential and seed mass can be used when moisture niches of plants are to be predicted. Lifespan, seed size and base temperature should be taken into account when analysing thermal limits of species distributions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 859 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Miguel Romero Saritama ◽  
César Pérez-Rúiz

The study of functional morphological traits enables us to know fundamental aspects of the dynamics of plant communities in local and global habitats. Regenerative morphological traits play an important role in defining plant history and ecological behavior. Seed and fruit characteristics determine to a large extent the patterns for dispersal, germination, establishment and seedling recruitment a given species exhibits on its natural habitat. Despite their prominent role, seed and fruit traits have been poorly studied at the community level of woody plant species in neo-tropical dry forests. In the present study we aimed at i) evaluate the functional role of morphological traits of seeds, fruits and embryo in woody plant species; ii) determine which are the morphological patterns present in seeds collected from the community of woody species that occur in neo-tropical dry forests; and iii) compare woody plant species seed mass values comparatively between neo-tropical dry and tropical forests. To do so, mature seeds were collected from 79 plant species that occur in the Tumbesian forest of Southwest Ecuador. The studied species included the 42 and 37 most representative tree and shrubbery species of the Tumbesian forest respectively. A total of 18 morphological traits (seven quantitative and 11 qualitative) were measured and evaluated in the seeds, fruits and embryos of the selected species, and we compared the seeds mass with other forest types. Our results showed a huge heterogeneity among traits values in the studied species. Seed mass, volume and number were the traits that vary the most at the community level, i.e. seed length ranged from 1.3 to 39 mm, and seed width from 0.6 to 25 mm. Only six embryo types were found among the 79 plant species. In 40 % of the cases, fully developed inverted embryos with large and thick cotyledons to store considerable amount of nutrients were recorded. We concluded that highly variable and functionally complementary morphological traits occur among the studied woody plants of the dry Tumbesian forest. The latter favors a plethora of behavioral mechanisms to coexist among woody species of the dry forest in response to the environmental stress that is typical of arid areas.


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (37) ◽  
pp. 5032-5037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahadur Rokaya Maan ◽  
Muuml nzbergovaacute Zuzana
Keyword(s):  

BMJ Open ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. e009172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhengjing Huang ◽  
Hualiang Lin ◽  
Yunning Liu ◽  
Maigeng Zhou ◽  
Tao Liu ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1803-1820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason E. Mills ◽  
James A. Reinartz ◽  
Gretchen A. Meyer ◽  
Erica B. Young

Botany ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bailey J. Balshor ◽  
Matthew S. Garrambone ◽  
Paige Austin ◽  
Kathleen R. Balazs ◽  
Claudia Weihe ◽  
...  

Successful reintroduction of native species through ecological restoration requires understanding the complex process of seed germination. Soil microbes play an important role in promoting native establishment and are often added to restoration sites during seed sowing. We tested the role of soil- and lab-grown bacterial inoculants on germination timing and percent germination for 19 species of plants commonly found in coastal California. Each species exhibited a different response to the inoculant treatments, but overall time-to-germination was longer and percent germination was lower with the soil inoculant compared with the control or other treatments. The invasive species in our study had the highest percent germination of all species and germinated faster than all native shrubs. Germination timing was negatively correlated with percent germination and with seed mass. Our results suggest that lab-grown inoculant and chemical treatment are effective at increasing germination in some native species, whereas soil inoculant is not. Given differences in germination timing between native and invasive species, restoration practitioners could consider using herbicide to treat areas seeded with native shrubs immediately following germination of invasive species without harming most natives, although germination timing and herbicides need further study in relation to microbial effects on seed germination.


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