The Ecological Characteristics of Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment of <i>Manglietia patungensis</i>: Implication for Species Conservation

Abstract

Manglietia patungensis is an endangered species distributed aggregately in evergreen broad-leaved forest communities in Southwest China. A controlling experiment was employed to test the effects of soil type and shade degree on seed germination and seedling establishment by using four soil types and three shade treatments with five replicates. Results showed that the germination rate of M. patungensis seeds was relatively low ranging from 19% to 31%. Shade degree and soil type had no significant effect on seed germination rate, but influenced germination dynamics. Both shade degree and soil type treatments significantly affected seedling survival and seedling growth. Seedling survival rate increased with increasing light density. Increased light also promoted biomass accumulation and root development of seedlings. The biomass of the seedlings under full light condition increased 72% comparing with the seedlings under 80% shade degree. Root depth, root area and cross number increased with the increase of light density. Seedlings on farmland soil survived better than that on other three kinds of soil. The seedling survival rate in the farmland soil reached 91.4%, but was reduced to 80.3%, 78.0% and 52.8% in old-field soil, sandy soil and forest soil respectively. Total biomass, aboveground biomass and root biomass of seedlings in forest soil was the highest, followed by seedlings in sandy and old-field soils respectively, and seedlings in farmland soil ranked the least. Some suggestions were finally put forward for the conservation of M. patungensis based on the research results.

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