Seed germination ecology in southwestern Western Australia

Germination responses of species from the native plant communities of southwestern Western Australia can be related to syndromes of life history, fire response, and seed storage, and also to factors related to environmental stress. The Mediterranean-type climate of the region with periodic drought and recurrent fires affects the production of viable seeds in plants of limited stature and rooting depth. Fire response ephemerals and species cued to flower by fire tend to produce viable, readily germinable seeds, but there are instances where seed production is aborted in these predominantly herbaceous life forms. Clonal, rhizomatous species often produce mainly inviable seeds. Production of viable seeds in woody species of these highly diverse communities may also be restricted by limitations to cross pollination. Obligate post-fire seeding species tend to produce a greater proportion of viable seeds than species which are capable of resprouting following fire. Serotinous species, whether post-fire re-seeders or post-fire resprouting species, produce mainly viable seeds, which germinate readily once freed from protective fruits. Species of the legume families and a few others of the soil seed bank produce innately dormant seeds which can be germinated following heat shock treatments which simulate the effects of fire. Heat shock in these species appears mainly as a mechanism to crack the hard seed coats, but the effect of heat to denature seed coat inhibitors has not been eliminated. Western Australian species do not seem to break dormancy when exposed to leachates from burned wood as has been observed in comparable habitats in California and South Africa, but further research is advised. Germination in many native southwestern Australian species is cued by temperatures that correspond to the winter rainfall period. There are also indications that an after-ripening period of warm, dry storage increases percentage of germinable seeds. Stimulation of germination by hormones is almost unresearched in Western Australia, but germination percentages have been increased in a small number of species of horticultural potential. Stimulation of germination by soil nutrient concentrations is almost unresearched in Western Australia, except for the inhibitory effect of excess sodium chloride levels inEucalyptus andMelaleuca. These species only germinate when osmotic effects are reduced to lower levels as would occur when winter rains dilute soil salts. Application of research on seed germination has already enhanced the establishment of seedlings in the restoration of mine sites and is becoming important in aspects of the breeding and selection of native plants for the cut flower, bedding plant and essential oil industries.     

Fire and summer temperatures interact to shape seed dormancy thresholds

Background and AimsIn Mediterranean ecosystems, the heat shock of wildfire disrupts physical seed dormancy in many plant species. This triggers germination in the post-fire environment where seedling establishment is optimal due to decreased competition and increased resource availability. However, to maintain the soil seed bank until a fire occurs, the minimum heat capable of breaking seed dormancy (i.e. the lower heat threshold) must be above the maximum temperatures typically observed in the soil during the summer. We therefore hypothesized that summer temperatures have shaped heat requirements for physical dormancy release. Specifically, we predicted that seeds from populations growing under warmer summers will have higher values of the lower heat threshold.MethodsTo evaluate this prediction, we collected seeds from two Cistus species in 31 populations (20 Cistus albidus and 11 Cistus salviifolius) along a climate gradient of summer temperatures on the eastern coast of Spain. For each population, seeds were treated to 10 min heat shocks, from 30 to 120 °C in 5 °C increments (19 treatments), to simulate increasing heat doses from summer to fire-related temperatures. Seeds were then germinated in the lab.Key ResultsFor all populations, maximum germination was observed when applying temperatures associated with fire. Lower heat thresholds varied among populations, with a positive relationship between summer temperatures at seed population origin and the heat dose required to break dormancy.ConclusionsOur results suggest that fire drives maximum dormancy release for successful post-fire germination, while summer temperatures determine lower heat thresholds for ensuring inter-fire seed bank persistence. Significant among-population variation of thresholds also suggests that post-fire seeder species have some potential to modify their dormancy release requirements in response to changing climate.     

燃烧植物产生烟与热的生理生态效应

燃烧植物产生的烟与热对植物的生理生态功能有重要的影响,相关研究已成为生态学研究的热点之一。植物源烟对一些植物种子的萌发和幼苗生长有促进作用,这种促进作用与GA和细胞分裂素的作用相似。在植物烟水溶液中分离得到了具有促进植物种子萌发作用的化合物丁烯羟酸内酯,该物质具有热稳定性、挥发性和有效浓度范围广等特点。丁烯羟酸内酯可以通过纤维素加热产生,因而几乎所有的植物燃烧产生的烟中都可以产生丁烯羟酸内酯。热因子对植物种子萌发有利作用表现为打破种子休眠、清除限制种子萌发的物理、化学因素和减轻种子病原体等方面。大量研究显示,不同植物对烟与热的响应机理存在显著的差异,这是植物群落过火后物种组成改变的重要原因之一。烟与热因子对植物生理生态作用的研究我国开展较少．这与我国是一个森林、草原火灾频繁的国家是不相称的,加强这方面的研究很有必要。另外,今后我国可以在烟与热因子对植物作用的机理,揭示传统用烟火处理土壤促进农林业植物生长的物理和化学本质,以及这些机理在发展有机农业中运用等方面开展深入的研究。     

Fire season and intensity affect shrub recruitment in temperate sclerophyllous woodlands

The season in which a fire occurs may regulate plant seedling recruitment because of: (1) the interaction of season and intensity of fire and the temperature requirements for seed release, germination and growth; (2) post-fire rainfall and temperature patterns affecting germination; (3) the interaction of post-fire germination conditions and competition from surrounding vegetation; and (4) the interaction of post-fire germination conditions and seed predators and/or seedling herbivores. This study examined the effects of different fire intensities and fire seasons on the emergence and survival of shrubs representing a range of fire response syndromes from a summer rainfall cool climate region. Replicated experimental burns were conducted in two seasons (spring and autumn) in 2 consecutive years and fuel loads were increased to examine the effects of fire intensity (low intensity and moderate intensity). Post-fire watering treatments partitioned the effects of seasonal temperature from soil moisture. Higher intensity fires resulted in enhanced seedling emergence for hard-seeded species but rarely influenced survival. Spring fires enhanced seedling emergence across all functional groups. Reduced autumn recruitment was related to seasonal temperature inhibiting germination rather than a lack of soil moisture or competition. In Mediterranean-type climate regions, seedling emergence has been related to post-fire rainfall and exposure of seeds to seed predators. We think a similar model may operate in temperate summer rainfall regions where cold-induced dormancy over winter exposes seeds to predators for a longer time and subsequently results in recruitment failure. Our results support the theory that the effect of fire season is more predictable where there are strong seasonal patterns in climate. In this study seasonal temperature rather than rainfall appears to be more influential.     

Effect of fire on hard-coated Cistaceae seed banks and its influence on techniques for quantifying seed banks

The impact of fire on hard-coated Cistaceae (Halimium ocymoides, Cistus ladanifer, and C. salvifolius) soil seed banks in a Mediterranean 'maquis' shrubland, and its effect on seed germinability were studied. The study also contrasts the effectiveness of two widely used techniques for quantifying seed banks, the seedling emergence and the physical separation methods, in relation to fire. The null hypothesis that a massive enhancement of physically-dormant Cistaceae seed germination by fire would make use of the time-consuming physical separation technique unnecessary was tested. Fire reduced Cistaceae seed banks in the 0–2 cm deep soil layer by both seed fire-consumption and lethal temperatures, revealed by the significant decreasing of the seed bank density and by the increase of apparently-intact but soft-unviable seeds, respectively. In contrast, no damage was recorded in the 2–5 cm soil layer. A dramatic seed bank depletion (> 90%) in both soil layers was recorded one year after fire in the burnt area, coinciding with a significant increase of seedling density confined to the first post-fire year. The ecological consequences of this massive post-fire seed bank input are discussed. A germinability test revealed that germination of surviving Cistaceae seeds was significantly enhanced in all cases except for the C. salvifolious seed bank in the deeper soil layer. However, final germination levels (60–75%) did not correspond to the magnitude of seed bank depletion, especially for C. salvifolious, which suggests that other environmental factors not exclusively associated with fire may also be important in softening Cistaceae seeds. Germination enhancement by fire soil-heating was not high enough to reject the physical separation technique, at least in the deeper soil layer. The simultaneous use of both seedling emergence and physical separation is recommended for reliable seed bank estimates when a physically-dormant hard-seeded component can be expected in the soil, as in many Mediterranean ecosystems, regardless of fire occurrence.     

Interactive effects of radiation,temperature and salinity on different life history stages of the Arctic kelp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alaria esculenta</Emphasis> (Phaeophyceae)

Vegetative resprouting, soil or canopy-stored seed banks, post-fire seed dispersal and germination are the major strategies by which plants regenerate after fires. Post-fire regeneration modes of plants are commonly based on the presence or absence of post-fire recruitment as well as the presence or absence of post-fire resprouting. High temperatures, smoke and ash are characteristics of fire and the post-fire environment. We hypothesized that heat, smoke, ash and pH will have differential effects on seed germination depending on species’ post-fire regeneration strategies: serotinous vs. nonserotinous (which may have soil seed banks) and resprouters vs. nonresprouters (which may be obligate seeders). Here we examined the effects of these factors on the germination of 27 common east Australian species. Most serotinous species supported our hypothesis by showing no effect or reduced germination in response to heat. However, contrary to our prediction, all nonserotinous nonresprouting species also showed no effect or reduced germination in response to heat. Smoke, contrary to our hypothesis, had a negative or no effect on all serotinous and nonresprouting species, but no clear directional effect on serotinous and resprouting species. Supporting our hypotheses, ash and high pH showed positive or nonsignificant effects on the germination of all serotinous resprouting species, and a negative or no effect on nonserotinous resprouting species. However, contrary to our prediction, it had a negative or no effect on the serotinous nonresprouting species and no clear effect on nonserotinous nonresprouting species. We also discovered large differences in germination responses between conspecific populations that varied in their degree of resprouting. Although our data confirmed several of our predictions, the overall conclusion is that the responses of seeds to heat, smoke, ash and pH are not tightly associated with post-fire regeneration functional types. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Fire as a stimulant of shrub recruitment in northwestern Patagonian (Argentina) grasslands

One strategy of plant survival during post-fire succession is to persist and regenerate by recruiting new individuals from a fire-resistant seed bank. The heat, smoke, and charcoal released during plant combustion may act (individually or in combination) as a cue for post-fire seed germination. Fabiana imbricata is a shrub that forms persistent seed banks in the northwestern Patagonian grasslands and shows a high recruitment from seeds during post-fire succession. Mathematical models showed that this species is advancing over the grasslands in response to fires. To corroborate these findings, we studied the role of fire on F. imbricata seed germination. In order to achieve this, a factorial experiment was designed in laboratory conditions to study the effect of heat, charcoal, smoke, scarification, and their interactions on F. imbricata seed germination. Seeds treated with the higher temperatures required a longer period of time to germinate, thus, significantly affecting the mean germination time. Total germination percentages in F. imbricata were significantly enhanced by smoke and scarification, but the interaction of heat, smoke, and scarification was more important than the effect of each fire factor alone. The positive response to fire cues exhibited by F. imbricata indicates that this species would have an adaptive advantage to colonize these grasslands if fire frequency increased, as predicted for this environment. Hence, fire will contribute to the grassland encroachment by this species and, therefore, to the loss of biodiversity and productivity of northwestern Patagonian grasslands.     

Seed longevity and fire: germination responses of an exotic perennial herb in NW Patagonian grasslands (Argentina)

Fire affects grassland composition by selectively influencing recruitment. Some exotic species can increase their abundance as a consequence of fire-stimulated seed germination, but response may depend on seed age. Rumex acetosella L. (Polygonaceae, sheep's sorrel) is a cosmopolitan herb that has invaded NW Patagonia's grasslands. This species forms persistent soil seed banks and increases after disturbances, particularly fire. We studied how fire and seed longevity influence R. acetosella germination. In 2008, we conducted laboratory experiments where we exposed different-aged seeds (up to 19 years old) to heat, smoke, charcoal, ash and control treatments. Total percentage germination and mean germination time depended on both seed age and fire treatment. Germination of younger seeds decreased with increasing temperature. There was no general pattern in germination responses of different-aged seeds to smoke, charcoal and ash. While smoke improved the germination of fresh seeds, charcoal decreased germination. Germination of untreated seeds was negatively correlated with seed age, and mean germination time increased with seed age. In most treatments, fresh seeds had lower germination than 1-5-year-old seeds, indicating an after-ripening requirement. Smoke stimulates R. acetosella germination, causing successful recruitment during post-fire conditions. Fresh seeds are particularly responsive to fire factors, possibly because they have not experienced physical degradation and are more receptive to environmental stimuli. Knowing the colonisation potential from the soil seed bank of this species during post-fire conditions will allow us to predict their impact on native communities.     

Interaction Effects of Seed Mass and Temperature on Germination in Australian Species of Frankenia (Frankeniaceae)

The seed size and number theories have been proposed to explain the advantages of having many small versus a few large seeds in plants. In particular, seed germination is predicted to be shaped by temperature, and may differ for small and large seeds. In this study, we experimentally test germination at different temperatures in 12 species of arid zone plants in the genus Frankenia L. that differ in seed mass. Seed mass was categorized as “smaller-seeded species” versus “larger-seeded species” for analysis (six species per category). Many of these species co-occur geographically and hence experience similar abiotic conditions (unpredictable rainfall, extremes in temperature, poor soil conditions). The results demonstrated differences in germination as a result of the temperature*seed mass(species) interaction effect. There were significant differences in germination rates across seed mass categories during the first eight days of germination. Germination rates were higher in the larger-seeded species than the smaller-seeded species. Smaller-seeded species had lower germination success but had higher germination rates at lower temperatures, and had a more stringent temperature as a germination cue. These findings are discussed in the context of life-history strategies in arid zone plants.     

Role of heat tolerance and cone protection of seeds in the response of three pine species to wildfires

The post-fire regenerative ability of Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris, three of the most important pine species present in the West Mediterranean basin, has been analyzed in the light of seed tolerance to different temperatures and times of exposure, and of seed position during the fire event (seeds inside cones versus free seeds). The combination of different fire intensities and degrees of seed protection allows us to draw different scenarios during the fire event: canopy scenarios (seeds inside cones), surface scenarios (seeds on the ground surface), and soil scenarios (seeds in the top soil layers). There were interspecific differences in the pattern of cone opening under the different heat treatments: cones of P. nigra and P. sylvestris showed similar percentages of opening, but considerably higher than those of P. halepensis. In the three species, seeds inside cones showed higher percentages of germination than those that were free, emphasizing the important role of cones in the protection of pine seeds from high temperatures. The percentage of germination decreased when both the temperature and the time of exposure increased, and there was also a significant species effect: P. halepensis showed higher germination rates than P. nigra, and both were higher than P. sylvestris. The overall scores of seed germination of these three pine species under the conditions tested suggests that their regeneration after fire should come either from the soil bank, or from the canopy bank, but rarely from the ground surface. As the existence of a permanent seed bank in Mediterranean pines is probably limited or nil, pine recruitment after fire appears to be mainly controlled by the existence of a canopy seed bank. The contribution of this canopy bank to the differences in postfire regeneration success of the three pine species is discussed in the light of their seeding phenology and the effects of fire severity on cone opening. The results obtained in this study contribute to explain the successful regeneration of P. halepensis, and the failure of P. nigra and P. sylvestris after fire.     

Germination traits explain soil seed persistence across species: the case of Mediterranean annual plants in cereal fields

Background and Aims

Seed persistence in the soil under field conditions is an important issue for the maintenance of local plant populations and the restoration of plant communities, increasingly so in the light of rapidly changing land use and climate change. Whereas processes important for dispersal in space are well known, knowledge of processes governing dispersal in time is still limited. Data for morphological seed traits such as size have given contradictory results for prediction of soil seed persistence or cover only a few species. There have been few experimental studies on the role of germination traits in determining soil seed persistence, while none has studied their predictive value consistently across species. Delayed germination, as well as light requirements for germination, have been suggested to contribute to the formation of persistent seed banks. Moreover, diurnally fluctuating temperatures can influence the timing of germination and are therefore linked to seed bank persistence.

Methods

The role of germination speed measured by T₅₀ (days to germination of 50 % of all germinated seeds), light requirement and reaction to diurnally fluctuating temperatures in determining seed persistence in the soil was evaluated using an experimental comparative data set of 25 annual cereal weed species.

Key Results

It is shown that light requirements and slow germination are important features to maintain seeds ungerminated just after entering the soil, and hence influence survival of seeds in the soil. However, the detection of low diurnally fluctuating temperatures enhances soil seed bank persistence by limiting germination. Our data further suggest that the effect of diurnally fluctuating temperatures, as measured on seeds after dispersal and dry storage, is increasingly important to prevent fatal germination after longer burial periods.

Conclusions

These results underline the functional role of delayed germination and light for survival of seeds in the soil and hence their importance for shaping the first part of the seed decay curve. Our analyses highlight the detection of diurnally fluctuating temperatures as a third mechanism to achieve higher soil seed persistence after burial which interacts strongly with season. We therefore advocate focusing future research on mechanisms that favour soil seed persistence after longer burial times and moving from studies of morphological features to exploration of germination traits such as reaction to diurnally fluctuating temperatures.     

Seed production and germination in two rare and three common co‐occurring Acacia species from south‐east Australia

Abstract Seed set, size, viability and germination requirements were investigated for two rare (Acacia ausfeldii and A. willianisonii) and three common (A. pycnantha, A. genistifolia and A.paradoxa) co‐occurring congeners in box‐ironbark eucalypt forests near Bendigo, south‐east Australia to investigate correlates of rarity. Seed size was significantly smaller for the two rare species and germinants were less able to emerge from deeper sowing depths than were the larger seeded common congeners. All species had a strong heat‐stimulated germination response. While the rare A. ausfeldii showed strong germination only at the highest temperature treatment (100°C), the common and widespread A.pycnantha showed strong germination across a broad range of temperatures (60‐100°C), likely to be experienced by soil‐stored seeds during a fire. Seed viability, number of seeds per plant, and number of firm, aborted and eaten seeds per pod varied between species, but the pattern of variation was not related to rarity. Small seed size and a very specific temperature requirement for germination may help to explain rarity in A. ausfeldii, and to a lesser extent in A. willianisonii. Fires are often patchy and heating of the soil is likely to be highly spatially variable, so species with germination responses to a broad range of temperatures have an advantage over those that respond only to a narrow range. A narrower range of soil depths from which seeds can emerge will further reduce the proportion of the seed bank that might recruit following fire. Human impacts on species habitats, such as fragmentation, loss of topsoil through mining, timber harvesting, grazing and urbanization, and consequent reduction in fire intensity, are likely to have further contributed to rarity in these species. The role of pollination and other factors in relation to population size is the subject of further investigation.     

How much seed remains in the soil after a fire?

Soil seed banks that persist after a fire are important in fire-prone habitats as they minimise the risk of decline or local extinction in plants, should the fire-free interval be less than the primary juvenile periods of the species. In two common woody plant genera (Acacia and Grevillea) in southeastern Australia, we examined the size and location of the residual seed bank after fire across areas of varying seedling densities at three locations in comparison to the distribution of seeds in the soil at an unburnt site. We found viable dormant seeds remaining in the soil after fire (evidence of residual soil seed bank). A significantly lower proportion of seeds remained in the top 5 cm of soil than at 5–10 cm or 10–15 cm soil depths, independent of seedling density or plant genus. This was due to greater germination, and possibly some seed mortality, near the soil surface. Reduced germination below 5 cm was probably due to the reduced efficacy of the fire cues that break seed dormancy, a declining ability of seeds to emerge successfully from such depths, and the lower abundance of seeds in the soil at such depths. The magnitude of the residual seed bank was similar across 0–5, 5–10 and 10–15 cm soil depths in Acacia suaveolens. For two Grevillea species, most residual seeds were at 0–5 and 5–10 cm. The residual soil seed bank in the top 10 cm of soil after fire varied across sites with estimates of 0, 19 and 27% in G. speciosa and 23, 35, and 55% in A. suaveolens. At two sites, both species had similar residual seed bank sizes, while at a third, there were large differences between the species (0–55%). The observed patterns imply that the fire-related cues that break seed dormancy generally declined with soil depth. For Acacia, seed dormancy is broken by heat shock, a fire-cue that declines with soil depth. Some 250 species (approx 15% of the fire-prone flora) in the region are thought to have dormancy broken by heat shock. For Grevillea, where seed dormancy is broken by the interaction of smoke and heat shock, at two sites, we suggest three possibilities: (i) the smoke cue declined with soil depth; (ii) both heat and smoke are obligatory for breaking seed dormancy; or (iii) the cues may be independent and additive and below the zone of soil heating, only a proportion of available seeds had dormancy broken by smoke alone. At a third site (no residual seed bank detected) the smoke cue was predicted not to have declined with soil depth. Up to 900 species (just under half the fire-prone flora) in the study region are thought to have seed dormancy broken by the interaction of heat and smoke during the passage of a fire.     

Dormancy and the fire-centric focus: germination of three Leucopogon species (Ericaceae) from South-eastern Australia

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Germination studies of species from fire-prone habitats are often focused on the role that fire plays in breaking dormancy. However, for some plant groups in these habitats, such as the genus Leucopogon (Ericaceae), dormancy of fresh seeds is not broken by fire cues. In the field, these same species display a flush of seedling emergence post-fire. Dormancy and germination mechanisms therefore appear complex and mostly unknown. This study aimed to identify these mechanisms by establishing dormancy class and testing the effects of a set of typical germination cues, including those directly related to fire and entirely independent of fire. METHODS: To classify dormancy, we assessed seed permeability and embryo morphology, and conducted germination experiments at seasonal temperatures in incubators. To test the effects of fire cues on germination, factorial combinations of smoke, heat and dark treatments were applied. Ageing treatments, using burial and seasonal incubation, were also tested. Germination phenology was established. KEY RESULTS: Seeds were dormant at release and had underdeveloped embryos. Primary dormancy of the study species was classified as morphophysiological. Seasonal temperature changes overcame primary dormancy and controlled timing of germination. Fire cues did not break primary dormancy, but there was a trend for smoke to enhance germination once this dormancy was overcome. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the fact that fire is a predominant disturbance and that many species display a flush of emergence post-fire, seasonal temperatures broke the primary physiological dormancy of the study species. It is important to distinguish between fire being responsible for breaking dormancy and solely having a role in enhancing levels of post-fire germination for seeds in which dormancy has been overcome by other factors. Biogeographical evidence suggests that morphological and physiological factors, and therefore seasonal temperatures, are likely to be important in controlling the dormancy and patterns of post-fire germination of many species in fire-prone regions.     

Germination biology of selected central Australian plants

Abstract Risk spreading of germination may be particularly common in environments with unpredictable climates. Germinability, propensity to germinate at different temperatures and germination speed were classified for seeds of 105 species from the central Australian arid zone, and related to plant growth form, perenniality, seed size and seed dispersal mode. Almost all species had at least some seeds which were dormant, consistent with the idea that risk spreading is important in arid zones. Dispersal mode and plant perenniality were not found to be associated with germinability. Seeds of most species germinated rapidly relative to what has been recorded from higher-rainfall environments, as might be expected in an environment where wet soils are usually temporary. Faster germination tended to be associated with low germinability, suggesting a spectrum of strategies from species that risk a small number of their seeds in many rainfall events, to those that germinate only in large rainfall events but then risk large numbers of seeds.     

Population dynamics of the shrub Acacia suaveolens (Sm.) Willd.: Fire and the transition to seedlings

Fire, through soil heating effects, causes flushes of seed germination in Acacia suaveolens. Optimal temperatures for germination are between 60 and 80°C for any duration, or up to 100°C for durations less than 1 h. Exposure to temperatures less than 60°C leaves seeds dormant and viable, whilst seed death occurs in increasing proportions with increasing exposure to temperatures greater than 80°C. A field study of temperatures in the soil under simulated burns showed that the innate seed dormancy in A. suaveolens would only be broken for seeds up to a depth of 1 cm in ‘cool’ or 4 cm in ‘hot’ burns. In the hot burns some of the seeds in the top 1 cm of the soil were killed by excessive heating. These simulated burns most resemble cool and moderate/high intensity wildfires, respectively. Seeds can emerge from depths up to 8 cm and, for any seeds buried deeper than this, the probability of emergence is progressively reduced down to nil at 14 cm. Seeds buried between 5 and 10 cm will be heated sufficiently to break their dormancy only in a very high intensity wildfire. Seeds buried between 5 and 10 cm deep mostly occur in nests of an ant, Pheidole sp. Field observations of emergent seedlings confirm that post-fire emergence is concentrated over a small range of soil depths directly related to the intensity and duration of heating that occurs, whilst occasional seedlings may appear from greater or lesser depths largely dependent upon the spatial heterogeneity of soil heating in natural fires.     

Influence of heat on seed germination of seven Mediterranean Leguminosae species

The influence of high temperatures (dry heat and hot water) on germination of seven Mediterranean Leguminosae species typical of fire-prone ecosystems in southern Spain is analyzed, in order to know the response of seeds to wildfires and the possible implications in their regeneration after this disturbance. Seeds were heated to a range of temperatures (50 °–150 °C) and exposure times (1–60 min) similar to those registered in the upper soil layers during wildfires. Germination tests were carried out in plastic Petri dishes over 60 days. In general, the degree of seed germination promotion by dry heat treatments showed a wide interspecific variation, although the final germination level was increased in all the studied species except for Scorpiurus muricatus. The thermal pretreatment of 50 °C, however, was not effective for germination in any species, and rising the temperature to 70 °C only slightly enhanced the germination in Cytisus patens. The preheatings of 90 °C (5 and 10 min), 120 °C (5 and 10 min), and 150 °C (1 min) were the most effective in promoting seed germination. Hot water (100 °C) scarification also increased the final germination level in all cases, with the exception of C. patens. The germination rates after preheating were much lower than in mechanically scarified seeds and closely resembled those of the untreated seeds, except for C. reverchonii, whose seed germination rate decreased with heat. The response of species to heat shock had no clear relationship with life trait or with the specific post-fire regeneration strategy (obligate seeder or facultative resprouter). Those species coexisting in the same habitats had different heat optimal requirements for seed germination, an strategy suggested by some authors as minimizing interspecific competition in the secondary succession started after fire.     

Litter effects on seedling establishment interact with seed position and earthworm activity

Seedling establishment is influenced by litter cover and by seed predators, but little is known about interactions between these two factors. We tested their effects on emergence of five typical grassland species in a microcosm experiment. We manipulated the amounts of grass litter, seed sowing position and earthworm activity to determine whether: (i) the protective effect of litter against seed predation depends on cover amount and seed sowing position, i.e., on top or beneath litter; (ii) seed transport by earthworms changes the effect of seed sowing position on seedling emergence; and (iii) seeds transported into deeper soil layers by earthworms are still germinable. Litter cover and presence of earthworms lowered seedling emergence. The impact of seed position increased with seed size. Emergence of large-seeded species was reduced when sown on the surface. Additionally, we found an important seed position × earthworm interaction related to seed size. Emergence of large-seeded species sown on top of the litter was up to three times higher when earthworms were present than without earthworms. Earthworms also significantly altered the depth distribution of seeds in the soil and across treatments: on average 6% of seeds germinated after burial. In contrast to the seed position effect, we found no size effect on mobility and germinability of seeds after burial in the soil. Nevertheless, the fate of different-sized seeds may differ. While burial will remove large seeds from the regeneration pool, it may enhance seed bank build up in small-seeded species. Consequently, changes in the amount of litter cover and the invertebrate community play a significant role in plant community composition.     

Canopy seed storage in woody plants

The retention of seeds in the plant canopy for one to 30 years or more is termed serotiny. It is well represented floristically and physiognomically in fire-prone, nutrient-poor and seasonally-dry sclerophyll vegetation in Australia, and to a lesser extent, South Africa followed by North America. While the seed-storing structures vary greatly, all will release their propagules following exposure to the heat of a fire (pyriscence). This phenomenon can be contrasted with seed release at maturity (non-storage) and soil storage of seeds. Although the evolutionary requirements for serotiny are clear, its adaptive advantages over other seed storage syndromes are largely the subject of conjecture in the absence of comparative experiments. Nine hypotheses were assessed here. Canopy storage maximises the quantity of seeds available for the next post-fire generation (unlike non-storage). Synchronized post-fire release satiates post-dispersal granivores (unlike non-storage and soil storage) and ensures arrival on a seed bed conducive to seedling recruitment (unlike non-storage). Canopy stored seeds are better insulated from the heat of a fire than non-stored, and probably soil-stored, seeds. Fluctuating annual seed crops, the opportunity for post-fire wind-dispersal, the possible advantages of dense stands of adults, short lifespan of the dispersed seeds and their optimal location in the soil for germination have only a limited role in explaining the advantages of serotiny. It is concluded that canopy seed storage is favoured in regions where seed production is restricted and inter-fire establishment and maturation are unlikely. In addition, these regions have a reliable seasonal rainfall and are subjected to intense fires at intervals occurring within the reproductive lifespan of the species.     

Predicted global warming scenarios impact on the mother plant to alter seed dormancy and germination behaviour in Arabidopsis

Abstract Seed characteristics are key components of plant fitness that are influenced by temperature in their maternal environment, and temperature will change with global warming. To study the effect of such temperature changes, Arabidopsis thaliana plants were grown to produce seeds along a uniquely designed polyethylene tunnel having a thermal gradient reflecting local global warming predictions. Plants therefore experienced the same variations in temperature and light conditions but different mean temperatures. A range of seed‐related plant fitness estimates were measured. There were dramatic non‐linear temperature effects on the germination behaviour in two contrasting ecotypes. Maternal temperatures lower than 15–16 °C resulted in significantly greater primary dormancy. In addition, the impact of nitrate in the growing media on dormancy was shown only by seeds produced below 15–16 °C. However, there were no consistent effects on seed yield, number, or size. Effects on germination behaviour were shown to be a species characteristic responding to temperature and not time of year. Elevating temperature above this critical value during seed development has the potential to dramatically alter the timing of subsequent seed germination and the proportion entering the soil seed bank. This has potential consequences for the whole plant life cycle and species fitness.