种子雨研究进展

种子雨是指在特定的时间和特定的空间从母株上散落的种子量。种子雨的组成和大小具有时空异质性。种子雨的空间异质性表现在种子雨的组成和大小因群落而异,种群间的种子雨因种群而异,种群内部的种子雨因个体而异;种子雨的时间异质性表现在不管是群落、种群还是种群内部的个体,其种子雨既具有季节动态,又具有年际变化。种子雨、种子库、幼苗库和地上植被相互联系、相互作用。种子雨的研究对更好地了解种群和群落动态等具有重要意义。应用现代的分子遗传标记技术、同位素标记法和荧光染料法等研究种子雨的散布过程和种子命运将是未来种子雨研究的热点,种子雨和种子库的结合研究及其与动植物关系的研究尚需加强。

Research advances in seed rain

Seed rain is the sum of the whole seeds from mother plants in a given time and at a given site. The spatiotemporal distribution of seed rain shows heterogeneous characteristics, not only in the composition and size of seed rain among various communities or populations, but also in the seed rain of individuals within a population. In addition, seed rain possesses seasonal dynamics and yearly disparity. There are significant correlations and interactions among seed rain, soil seed bank, seedling bank, and vegetation. The study of seed rain has important implications in understanding the dynamics of communities or populations. In the future, the study on seed dispersal by using new techniques such as fluorescent labeling, (unstable and stable) isotope labeling and molecular genetic markers will be an important research aspect. The study on the combinations of seed rain and soil seed bank, as well as their relationships with animals and plants should also be strengthened.