The temperature dimension of the seed germination niche in fen wetlands

Fernández-Pascual, Eduardo; Jíménez-Alfaro, Borja; Díaz, Tomás E.

doi:10.1007/s11258-012-0165-7

Cited by 21 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(37 reference statements)

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“…), and some studies suggest the existence of functional germination groups along environmental gradients in relatively similar vegetation types (Fernández Pascual et al. ). These relationships support the effect of global and local climate on seed germination traits that filter the regional species pool into local communities (Fig.…”

Section: The Potential Contribution Of Seed Germination Traits To Plamentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed germination traits can contribute better to plant community ecology

Jíménez-Alfaro

Silveira

Fidelis

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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Analyses of functional traits have become fundamental tools for understanding patterns and processes in plant community ecology. In this context, regenerative seed traits play an important, yet overlooked, role because they largely determine the ability of plants to disperse and re-establish. A survey of recent publications in community ecology suggests that seed germination traits in particular are neglected at the expense of other relevant but overused traits based only on seed morphology. As a response to this bias, we discuss the functional significance of seed germination traits in comparison with morphological and biophysical seed traits, and advocate their use in vegetation science. We also demonstrate how research in community assembly, climate change and restoration ecology can benefit from the inclusion of germination traits, encompassing functions that cannot be explained solely by adult plant traits. Seed germination experiments conducted in the laboratory or field to quantify these traits provide ecologically meaningful and relatively easy-to-obtain information about the functional properties of plant communities. We argue that bridging the gap between seed physiologists and community ecologists will improve the prediction of plant assemblages, and propose further perspectives for including seed traits into the research agenda of functional community ecologists.

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Section: The Potential Contribution Of Seed Germination Traits To Plamentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed germination traits can contribute better to plant community ecology

Jíménez-Alfaro

Silveira

Fidelis

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

Self Cite

212

197

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“…litter removal and reduction in competition) in late spring and early summer. In ephemeral wetlands of Mediterranean climates (Carta et al, 2013), and in European fens and mountain springs (Fernández-Pascual et al, 2013), divergent germination strategies and seed temperature responses were similarly reported. Future germination studies with a greater number of fen specialists are needed to better understand the range of dormancy and germination traits that occur in fens with different ecological and climatic contexts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Germination niche of the permanent wetland specialist, Parnassia grandifolia DC

Albrecht

Long

2014

Seed Sci. Res.

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Temperate wetland species often require light and warm temperatures for seed germination. However, recent studies indicate that species which specialize on permanently saturated wetlands that are maintained by groundwater discharge (fens, seeps and mountain springs), rather than wetlands with surfacewater-driven hydrologic regimes, diverge from the typical wetland germination niche by germinating at cool temperatures and lacking photoblastic seeds. We conducted laboratory experiments that manipulated stratification conditions (non-stratified versus cold stratification in light and darkness), thermal regime (15/6, 25/15 and 35/208C), and light (14 h photoperiod versus continuous darkness) to test whether seeds of the North American calcareous fen specialist Parnassia grandifolia diverged from the typical temperate wetland germination niche. After 30 d, fresh seeds were conditionally dormant and could only germinate to high percentages in light at 25/158C. During 16 weeks of incubation, non-stratified seeds germinated to low percentages (, 40%) at all thermal regimes in darkness. In contrast, cold-stratified seeds germinated to high percentages in both light and darkness at all thermal regimes, although germination was incomplete (no cotyledon emergence) at 35/208C. Further, seeds did not require light during cold stratification to germinate to high percentages when incubated in light or darkness. Thus, seeds diverged from the typical temperate wetland germination syndrome in lacking a light and warm temperature requirement for germination. Our results reinforce previous work from European fens and Mediterranean wetlands. This indicates that multiple germination strategies are found in fen wetlands that are maintained by the continuous or near-continuous discharge of cool groundwater.

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“…Thus, generally species from surface water‐driven wetlands with distinct seasonal flooding regimes are most likely to have TWGR, whereas those that grow in permanently saturated wetlands can germinate well at cool temperatures (Fernández‐Pascual et al . , ; Albrecht & Long ). Furthermore, the germination requirements of wetland species usually are affected by climate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…; Fernández‐Pascual et al . ; Albrecht & Long ). Seeds of many temperate wetland species require cold stratification to break dormancy and high temperature, temperature fluctuation and light for germination, which are known as the ‘typical wetland germination requirement (TWGR)’ (Grime et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Linking seed germination and plant height: a case study of a wetland community on the eastern Tibet Plateau

Liu

Cao

et al. 2018

Plant Biol J

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Seed germination is the earliest trait expressed in a plant's life history, and it can directly affect the expression of post-germination traits. Plant height is central to plant ecological strategies, because it is a major determinant of the ability of a species to compete for light. Thus, linking seed germination and plant height at the community level is very important to understanding plant fitness and community structure. Here, we tested storage condition and temperature requirements for germination of 31 species from a wetland plant community on the eastern Tibet Plateau and analysed correlation of germination traits with plant height in relation to storage condition. Germination percentage was positively related to plant height, and this relationship disappeared when seeds were incubated at a low temperature (i.e. 5 °C) or after they were stored under wet-cold conditions. The response of seeds to dry+wet-cold storage was negatively related to plant height. Based on the scores of each species on the first two principal components derived from PCA, species were classified into two categories by hierarchical clustering, and there was a significant difference between germination and plant height of species in these two categories. These results suggest that the requirements for seed germination together with seasonal change in environmental conditions determine the window for germination and, in turn, plant growth season and resource utilisation and ultimately plant height.

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The temperature dimension of the seed germination niche in fen wetlands

Cited by 21 publications

References 33 publications

Seed germination traits can contribute better to plant community ecology

Seed germination traits can contribute better to plant community ecology

Germination niche of the permanent wetland specialist, Parnassia grandifolia DC

Linking seed germination and plant height: a case study of a wetland community on the eastern Tibet Plateau

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