scholarly journals How Does Ocean Acidification Affect the Early Life History of Zostera marina? A Series of Experiments Find Parental Carryover Can Benefit Viability or Germination

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson Lowell ◽  
Eduardo Infantes ◽  
Laura West ◽  
Lauren Puishys ◽  
Claudia E. L. Hill ◽  
...  

Elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) as a concomitant of global climate change may facilitate the establishment of future seagrass meadows and subsequently its benefit could be incorporated into techniques to increase restoration success. In five manipulative experiments, we determined how increased CO2 affects the maturation of flowers, and the development of seeds and seedlings for the foundation species Zostera marina. Experiments tested the development from both seeds collected from non-treated flowering shoots (direct) and seeds harvested from flowering shoots after CO2 exposure (parental carryover). Flowering shoots were collected along the western coast of Sweden near the island of Skafto. The seeds produced were used in experiments conducted at Kristineberg, Sweden and Dauphin Island, AL, United States. Experiments varied in temperature (16, 18°C) and salinity (19, 33 ppt), as well as duration and magnitude of elevated CO2 exposure. Environmental conditions among experiments, such as temperature (16, 18°C) and salinity (19, 33 ppt), as well as duration and magnitude of pCO2 exposure differed. Flowering maturation, spathe number, seed production, and indicators of seed quality did not appear to be affected by 39–69 days of exposure to CO2 conditions outside of natural variability (pCO2 = 1547.2 ± 267.60 μatm; pHT = 7.53 ± 0.07). Yet, seeds produced from these flowers showed twofold greater germination success. In another experiment, flowering shoots were exposed to an extreme CO2 condition (pCO2 = 5950.7 ± 1,849.82 μatm; pHT = 6.96 ± 0.15). In this case, flowers generated seeds that demonstrated a fivefold increase in an indicator for seed viability (sinking velocity). In the latter experiment, however, germination appeared unaffected. Direct CO2 effects on germination and seedling production were not observed. Our results provide evidence of a parental CO2 effect that can benefit germination or seed viability, but early benefits may not lead to bed establishment if other environmental conditions are not well suited for seedling development. Outcomes have implications for restoration; CO2 can be supplied to flowering shoot holding tanks to bolster success when the purpose is to redistribute seeds to locations where beds are extant and water quality is adequate.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Chiara M. Bertelli

This thesis aims to investigate the effect of environmental drivers on seagrasses by studying shoot-scale and meadow-scale responses, focussing on Zostera marina, Zostera noltii and Halodule wrightii. Seagrasses are plants that have evolved from being terrestrial to living in an entirely marine environment which means they have become highly adapted. The conditions that effect seagrass growth can also be described as drivers as they have the ability to modify seagrass meadows in a variety of ways. These drivers can either be natural environmental factors or anthropogenic processes directly or indirectly affecting the marine environment in which seagrasses are found. These responses environmental conditions allow seagrasses to be used as indicators of the health of our coastal waters with poor water quality causing substantial impacts on seagrasses. Better knowledge of seagrass responses to local environmental conditions will help the identification of stressors which can then be managed. It will also help to comprehend the degree of risk to be expected from the threat of climate change including increased storm events, rises in sea level and sea temperature, and ocean acidification. Mitigating existing or potential impacts that lead to a reduction in water quality will improve the overall health and resilience of the seagrass to future threats from climate change.


Author(s):  
Andrea Mondoni

Seed viability and germination are central topics for Seed Science and Technology, especially regarding useful and/or threatened plants, such as medicinal and crop species. Both seed viability and germination may be affected by various factors, including phytopathogens, environmental conditions and age of the seeds. Therefore, on one hand there is a constant need to monitor seed quality and on the other to prevent pests and improve recruitment performance. These topics are addressed in this issue through new user-friendly techniques or existing protocols, which may include inter-disciplinary approaches combining molecular, ecological and agronomic skills.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1357
Author(s):  
Ewelina A. Klupczyńska ◽  
Tomasz A. Pawłowski

Environmental conditions are the basis of plant reproduction and are the critical factors controlling seed dormancy and germination. Global climate change is currently affecting environmental conditions and changing the reproduction of plants from seeds. Disturbances in germination will cause disturbances in the diversity of plant communities. Models developed for climate change scenarios show that some species will face a significant decrease in suitable habitat area. Dormancy is an adaptive mechanism that affects the probability of survival of a species. The ability of seeds of many plant species to survive until dormancy recedes and meet the requirements for germination is an adaptive strategy that can act as a buffer against the negative effects of environmental heterogeneity. The influence of temperature and humidity on seed dormancy status underlines the need to understand how changing environmental conditions will affect seed germination patterns. Knowledge of these processes is important for understanding plant evolution and adaptation to changes in the habitat. The network of genes controlling seed dormancy under the influence of environmental conditions is not fully characterized. Integrating research techniques from different disciplines of biology could aid understanding of the mechanisms of the processes controlling seed germination. Transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenetics, and other fields provide researchers with new opportunities to understand the many processes of plant life. This paper focuses on presenting the adaptation mechanism of seed dormancy and germination to the various environments, with emphasis on their prospective roles in adaptation to the changing climate.


2014 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 543-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Geist ◽  
A. Kunzmann ◽  
H. M. Verheye ◽  
A. Eggert ◽  
A. Schukat ◽  
...  

Abstract Early life history (ELH) traits are key to understand variable recruitment success and hence the stock size of marine fish. One of the currently most puzzling ecosystems in this regard is the northern part of the Benguela Current upwelling system off Namibia. Here, populations of the formerly dominant pelagic species, sardine and anchovy, failed to recover during the last three decades after a dramatic decline. In contrast, Cape horse mackerel, Trachurus capensis, maintained a constant population size. Warming of the system and shoaling of hypoxic zones together with feedback loops within an altered foodweb are discussed to be responsible for this regime shift. In this study, we address the role of larval traits for the successful performance of the T. capensis population under the present environmental conditions with the focus on feeding ecology. We investigated seasonal variations of the geographical distribution, growth rate, feeding ecology, and nutritional condition of their ELH stages and examined relationships with water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, and micro-zooplankton composition. T. capensis' ELH stages showed a wide spatial and seasonal distribution, a preference for higher water temperatures (18–21°C) and presence over a wide range of dissolved oxygen concentrations (0.13–6.35 ml O2 l−1). Feeding success was high and mainly different groups of Copepoda were targeted, which were strongly size selected. The high dietary importance of micro-copepods during large parts of the larval phase indicates successful exploitation of this food source, which has increased in abundance during the last decade. It also explains observed best nutritional conditions at temperatures between 18 and 21°C, since these small copepods are commonly associated with warmer temperatures. Altogether, these traits enhance the species' probability to encounter suitable environments for the survival of their ELH stages, which is likely to lead to their high recruitment success in the northern Benguela ecosystem.


2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tereza Cristina de Carvalho ◽  
Camila Ribeiro de Souza Grzybowski ◽  
Osvaldo de Castro Ohlson ◽  
Maristela Panobianco

The tetrazolium test is part of internal programs of seed quality control because it allows a quick, reliable and accurate assessment of seed viability. The purpose of this study was to determine, among the various methodologies suggested in the literature, a practical and efficient procedure for carrying out the tetrazolium test in sorghum seeds, with a view toward a rapid estimate of their viability. Four seed lots of the simple hybrid Buster were used, testing two forms of seed pre-conditioning (direct immersion in water and between moistened paper towels); two types of preparation (longitudinal cut of the seed through the embryo with immersion of one of the halves in the tetrazolium solution or placement of the two halves on filter paper moistened with tetrazolium solution); two forms of staining (on paper and with direct immersion in the solution) and three concentrations of tetrazolium solution (0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0%). The tetrazolium test may be efficiently conducted for sorghum seeds through pre-conditioning between paper towels for 18 hours at 20 ºC, with immersion staining of one half of the seed in tetrazolium solution at 0.1% for three hours at 40 ºC.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
R. Ibañez

The assay was conducted in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul-Brasil, to compare the effect of used engine oil with to paraquat (Gramoxone) applied during the physiological maturition of soybean seeds (Glicyne max (L.) Merrill), Bragg variety. The oil doses were 5.3, 8.5 and 12 l/ha. The desiccation intensity was determined and 30 pods per plot were periodically collected to follow the humidity content of the seeds, to 18%. The humidity was later reduced to 10.5 +0.5 and 2.0 kg of seeds were stored, in cotton bags,during 6 months under the environmental conditions at the Centro de Entrenamiento de Semillas of the Federal University of Pelotas. The seeds were subjected to germination, vigor and phytosanitary tests at harvest time and after 3 and 6 months of storage. Under the conditions of this trial, the doses of 12 l/ha of oil and 2 l/ha of paraquat: a) act as desiccants for soybean plants, b) favors the production of seeds with better viability and vigor after 6 months of storage and c) guarantied better sanitary seed quality after 6 months of storage.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-145
Author(s):  
ADITYA KUSUMAWARDANA ◽  
BAMBANG PUJIASMANTO ◽  
PARDONO PARDONO

Kusumawardana A, Pujiasmanto B, Pardono. 2018. Tetrazolium test for evaluating viability of Capsicum annum seeds. Nusantara Bioscience 10: 142-145. Seed quality is important in seeds production. This research was conducted to obtain information of topographical tetrazolium staining pattern of pepper (Capsicum annum) seeds. Tetrazolium test was conducted to determine the seed viability and plant growth vigor. Laboratory test for standard germination and field performances were performed on four lots (A, B, C, D) of pepper seeds. The viability categories pattern were determined by Root Mean Square (RMS), regression, and correlation analyses. Nine topographical patterns were recognized. The laboratory test results and field performances were compared with the topographical pattern. Combination of patterns 1,2 (embryonic axis and cotyledon completely stained) selected as viable category as it gave the least RMS value, the highest determination (R²) and correlation (r) coefficient with standard germination (RMS = 4, 06; R² = 0,761; r = 0,872). Combination of patterns 1,2 also gave the highest determination (R²) and correlation (r) coefficient with field stand (R² = 0,921; r = 0,959). The combination of patterns 1,2 is recommended for estimating plant growth performance in the field.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelbari Elmariami ◽  
Wedad Elosta ◽  
Mohamed Elfleet ◽  
Yusef Khalifa

Abstract Wind offers Libya an abundant, domestic, and currently untapped carbon free energy resource. This paper describes LCA model of assessment for the identified wind farm near the coastal city Zawia in Libya. The city has been affected by GHG emissions associated with Oil refinery facilities for the last five decades. The model study investigates the life cycle energy performance of the wind farm and the environmental impact category indicators at midpoint level, specifically; acidification and climate change. LCA was conducted to the proposed utility-scale wind farm with total estimated power of 20 MW, the assessment was conducted using the principles of the international standards ISO14040 and 14044. The results demonstrated that the amount of CO2 that can be avoided from the proposed wind farm would be about 2 MtCO2. The other emissions that could be avoided are 352.7 kg CH4 and 63.5 kg N2O. This would contribute to the alleviation of global climate change and global sustainability energy system which is recommended by UN SDG7.


Author(s):  
M Hasan ◽  
M Robbani ◽  
R Parvin ◽  
MNH Mehedi ◽  
I Hossain

An experiment was carried out at Germplasm Centre and Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Horticulture, PSTU to evaluate the growth, seed yield and quality of hybrid F1 chilli (cv. Sonic) crossing male line (LTSL-004-M) and female line (LTSL-004-F) along the viability of productive seeds influenced by NPK fertilizers during the period from November 2015 to October 2016. Ten different treatments of NPK fertilizers were used. Result showed that all the characteristics except primary branches and1000 seed weight were influenced significantly due to the application of NPK fertilizers. The tallest plant (69.88 cm), more leaves plant–1 (2491.33), highest number of secondary branches plant-1, tertiary branches plant-1 (5.00 and 88.00, respectively), number of flowers and hybrid fruits plant–1 (1533.00 and 12.33, respectively) and weight of seeds (4.03 g plant–1) along with required more time (54.67 days) for flowering were obtained from the application of 145 kg N ha–1, 175 kg P ha–1 and 96 kg K ha–1 (T4) which produced the highest final seed yield of chilli (4.03 kg ha–1). Application of T5 and T9 showed the highest number of primary branches (2.33). In seed viability characteristics T9 treated seeds showed the highest germination (100, 97.33 and 94.97%) at 1st, (1 MAH - Month After Harvest), 2nd (2 MAH) and 3rd (4 MAH) observations, respectively. The T3 treated seeds performed well in respect of Seed Vigour Index (SVI) at 1st and 2nd observations (8.00 and 7.48, respectively) but T9 treated seeds showed the highest SVI (6.32) at 3rd observation. Above indicating all characteristics were lowest under only recommended doses of NPK T1 as control treatment except days to first flowering. The observations suggested that production of hybrid chilli seeds could be enhanced by applying T4. While seeds of chilli treated by T9 in field level showed long time viable. Application of 145 kg N ha–1, 175 kg P ha–1 and 96 kg K ha–1 may be suggested for seed production of chilli and 110 kg N ha–1, + 175 kg P ha–1 + 115 kg K ha–1 for keeping the long time seed viability. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 9 (1): 35-41, June, 2019


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 20180831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodor Kindeberg ◽  
Emilia Röhr ◽  
Per-Olav Moksnes ◽  
Christoffer Boström ◽  
Marianne Holmer

Seagrass meadows are able to store significant amounts of organic carbon in their underlying sediment, but global estimates are uncertain partly owing to spatio-temporal heterogeneity between and within areas and species. In order to provide robust estimates, there is a need to better understand the fate of, and mechanisms behind, organic carbon storage. In this observational study, we analyse a suite of biotic and abiotic parameters in sediment cores from 47 different eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) beds spanning the distributional range of the Northern Hemisphere. Depth profiles of particulate organic carbon (POC) revealed three patterns of vertical distribution where POC either increased, decreased or showed no pattern with sediment depth. These categories exhibited distinct profiles of δ 13 C and C:N ratios, where high POC profiles had a proportionally larger storage of eelgrass-derived material whereas low POC profiles were dominated by phytoplanktonic and macroalgal material. However, high POC did not always translate into high carbon density. Nevertheless, this large-scale dataset provides evidence that the variability in organic matter source in response to natural and anthropogenic environmental changes affects the potential role of eelgrass beds as POC sinks, particularly where eelgrass decline is observed.


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