scholarly journals Interspecific competition in germination of bird-dispersed seeds in a habitat with sparse tree vegetation in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thabiso Michael Mokotjomela ◽  
Loyd Vukeya ◽  
Ntsoaki Malebo ◽  
Saheed Oke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Seed Germination ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Seed Size ◽  
Seed Density ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Avian Frugivores ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Abstract Avian frugivores provide directed seed dispersal services that contribute in shaping the native plant communities and facilitate population persistence. By transporting and scarifying the seeds during ingestion, avian frugivores reduce the competition with siblings, and may improve the germination which is critical for dispersal effectiveness. However, generally, there is limited knowledge on how deposited seeds interact/compete in the new microsite. Therefore, we investigated 1) whether bird-dispersed seeds benefit from improved germination after their passage through the bird’s gut; and 2) the potential impact of seed density on competition at the microsites by determining whether seed density and species diversity influence germination in the Free State Province, South Africa. Overall, the results partly supported the hypothesis. Germination trials with defecated seeds of five plant species compared with the manually depulped seeds showed that despite prolific seed germination observed in Ziziphus mucronata, only Searsia lancea seeds had significantly high seed germination after passage through the bird gut. Overall, there was a significant correlation between seed size and the germination of bird-ingested seeds except in Olea subsp. africana possibly due to possession of extremely hard protective seed cover. Seeds competition experiments pointed to Z. mucronata and O. subsp. africana having significant germination performance that was positively correlated to seed density and seed size while E. rigida did not germinate at all. Seed species diversity in the germination trays did not have significant impact since only two former plant species consistently displayed significantly higher germination across the competition levels. We conclude that not all bird-defecated seeds have their germination improved, and that further long-term tests for germination physiological responses of the seeds’ samples used in this study are required since poor germination observed in other tree/shrub species cannot be attributed to competition solely.

scholarly journals Interspecific competition in germination of bird-dispersed seeds in a habitat with sparse tree vegetation in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. Vukeya ◽  
T. M. Mokotjomela ◽  
N. J. Malebo ◽  
S. Oke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Seed Size ◽  
Seed Density ◽  
Germination Success ◽  
Population Recruitment ◽  
Avian Frugivores ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Abstract Background By transporting and scarifying the seeds during ingestion, avian frugivores reduce the competition with siblings, and may improve the germination which is critical for dispersal effectiveness and population recruitment. However, generally, there is limited knowledge on how deposited seeds interact/compete in the new microsite. We tested the hypothesis that the bird-dispersed seeds benefit from improved germination after their passage through the bird’s gut; and we investigated the potential impact of seed density on competition at the microsites by determining whether seed density and species diversity influence germination in the Free State Province, South Africa. Results Overall, the results partly supported the hypothesis. Germination trials with defecated seeds of five plant species compared with the manually depulped seeds showed that only Searsia lancea had significantly higher seed germination success and improved germination speed after passage through the bird gut while Ziziphus mucronata only benefited rapid germination. There was a significant correlation between seed size and the germination of bird-ingested seeds except in Olea subsp. africana possibly due to possession of extremely hard protective seed cover. Seed competition experiments pointed to Z. mucronata and O. subsp. africana having significant germination performance that was positively correlated to seed density and seed size while Ehretia rigida did not germinate at all. Seed species diversity in the germination trays did not have a significant impact since the seeds of two former plant species consistently displayed significantly higher germination across the competition levels. Conclusions We conclude that different plant species respond differently to seed ingestion by birds, and that further long-term tests for germination physiological responses of the seeds’ samples used in this study are required since poor germination observed in other tree/shrub species cannot be attributed to competition solely.

scholarly journals Seed Germination of Roundleaf Buffaloberry (Shepherdia rotundifolia) and Silver Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) in Three Substrates

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-133
Author(s):  
Taun Beddes ◽  
Heidi A. Kratsch
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Seed Germination ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Calcined Clay ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Sphagnum Peat ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Poor Seed ◽  
Container Capacity

Abstract Many western native plant species occur in areas characterized by well-drained soils low in organic matter. Some drought-tolerant native plant species exhibit poor seed germination. It was hypothesized that traditional growing substrates high in organic matter may impede their germination; therefore, stratified seeds of roundleaf buffaloberry (Shepherdia rotundifolia) and silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) were sown in three substrates differing in organic matter and drainage properties. Seed flats were irrigated twice daily to container capacity, and held on a greenhouse bench for 40 days. Seeds of roundleaf buffaloberry exhibited greatest total germination in a calcined montmorillonite calcined clay substrate (66%); seeds exhibited low germination in a commercial peat-based germination mix (13%) and in a self-prepared, locally popular substrate (22%) that contained sphagnum peat: perlite: calcined clay: sand (2: 2: 1: 1 by vol). Seed germination of silver buffaloberry varied from 42 to 54% and was not different among the three substrates. When substrates are kept consistently moist, a calcined-clay substrate can improve germination of roundleaf buffaloberry, but not silver buffaloberry.

scholarly journals Tallgrass Prairie Responses to Management Practices and Disturbances: A Review

Agronomy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradeep Wagle ◽  
Prasanna Gowda
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
The United States ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
The Impact

Adoption of better management practices is crucial to lessen the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on tallgrass prairie systems that contribute heavily for livestock production in several states of the United States. This article reviews the impacts of different common management practices and disturbances (e.g., fertilization, grazing, burning) and tallgrass prairie restoration on plant growth and development, plant species composition, water and nutrient cycles, and microbial activities in tallgrass prairie. Although nitrogen (N) fertilization increases aboveground productivity of prairie systems, several factors greatly influence the range of stimulation across sites. For example, response to N fertilization was more evident on frequently or annually burnt sites (N limiting) than infrequently burnt and unburnt sites (light limiting). Frequent burning increased density of C4 grasses and decreased plant species richness and diversity, while plant diversity was maximized under infrequent burning and grazing. Grazing increased diversity and richness of native plant species by reducing aboveground biomass of dominant grasses and increasing light availability for other species. Restored prairies showed lower levels of species richness and soil quality compared to native remnants. Infrequent burning, regular grazing, and additional inputs can promote species richness and soil quality in restored prairies. However, this literature review indicated that all prairie systems might not show similar responses to treatments as the response might be influenced by another treatment, timing of treatments, and duration of treatments (i.e., short-term vs. long-term). Thus, it is necessary to examine the long-term responses of tallgrass prairie systems to main and interacting effects of combination of management practices under diverse plant community and climatic conditions for a holistic assessment.

scholarly journals Seed germination in sedges: a short review

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waldemar Żukowski ◽  
Agnieszka Bogdanowicz ◽  
Marlena Lembicz
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Seed Size ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Plant Age ◽  
Mother Plant ◽  
Controlled Conditions ◽  
Mother Plants ◽  
High Or Low Temperature

Seed germination in sedges: a short reviewFive patterns of seed germination in the sedges of the genusCarexare presented, based on the literature data and the results of the authors' own research. They include the pattern ofC. acutiformis, C. arenaria, C. remota, C. flavaandC. communis. These patterns were constructed on the basis of seed specific requirements for development, such as stratification, temperature, dormancy and time of germination. Majority of sedges follow the pattern ofC. acutiformisorC. remota. In both cases, stratification and either high or low temperature are essential for seed germination. Seeds that start to germinate early (C. remotapattern) are characterized by the absence of the distinct peaks of germination, as opposed to theC. acutiformispattern with the germination peak in March. Our long-term investigations, conducted on the group of individuals in controlled conditions, revealed significant differences in seed size and the ability of seeds to germinate depending on the age of mother plants. We postulate that mother plant age is a new factor that should be considered in the construction of seed germination patterns.

scholarly journals Pre-Sowing Treatments Improve Germinability of South Texas Native Plant Seeds

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2545
Author(s):  
Kaitlynn Lavallee ◽  
Pushpa Gautam Soti ◽  
Hansapani Rodrigo ◽  
Rupesh Kariyat ◽  
Alexis Racelis
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Cold Stratification ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Plant Seeds ◽  
Wide Range

The incorporation of native plant species is central to restoration efforts, but this is often limited by both the availability of seeds and the relatively low viability and germination rates of commercially available seeds. Although pre-sowing treatments are commonly used to improve germination rates of seeds, the efficacy of these treatments is found to vary across species. In this study, we tested how four pre-sow treatments (physical scarification, acid scarification, cold stratification, and aerated hydropriming) affected the viability and seed germination rates of 12 commercially available plant species native to south Texas and commonly used in restoration efforts. Our results show that the viability of the seeds have a wide range, from 78% to 1.25%. Similarly, the total germination rate ranged from 62% to 0%. We found that pre-sowing treatments accelerated the germination rate in 9 of 12 plant species tested, but the effect varied by treatment. Collectively, our results identify various methods to achieve the best germination rates for native plants of south Texas, to help improve restoration efforts across the region.

scholarly journals Rhizosphere Microbial Population and Plant Species Diversity as Influenced by Chromolaena odorata Invasion

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Solomon A. Adejoro ◽  
Lekan C. Aguda
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Microbial Population ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Plant Species Diversity ◽  
Soil Microbiome ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Chromolaena Odorata ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Soil Microbial Population

Invasive plant species have been commonly implicated to cause loss in plant species diversity. Attention had however not been paid to the effects of these species loss on the soil microbiome. A study was conducted in 18 farmers’ fields within three states in southwestern Nigeria to examine the effect of Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) invasion on native plant diversity as well as on the rhizosphere microbial population using randomized complete block design. Results indicated significant losses in plant species diversity and reduction in density per square meter compared with adjacent non infested fields. Results further showed C. odorata invasion exerted diverse influence on soil microbial population. Relationships were subsequently established among plant density, species diversity; and soil microbial population. Further studies were also recommended to accommodate more microbiological indices.

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