Seed size and seedling growth: differential response of Australian and British Fabaceae to nutrient limitation

Seed size is widely held to exert an important influence over plant establishment, but while large seeds are often assumed to be at an advantage in nutrient-limited conditions, there is in fact, little consistent evidence to support this hypothesis. Here, we examined the interspecific relationship between seedling growth and seed size for Australian and British Fabaceae species in nutrient solutions deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or all nutrients combined (distilled water). The British species showed no consistent link between mean seed mass and seedling growth in nutrient-limited conditions. By contrast, all four nutrient-deficient treatments yielded a significant relationship for the Australian species. Linear regression showed that growth under balanced nutrient conditions was positively associated with growth without nutrients, although in fewer cases for the British species. We suggest that habitat-specific differences in regeneration conditions and/or evolutionary history may influence the role that seed size plays in dictating how seedlings of different species respond to nutrient shortage. We recommend caution in attempts to link traits like seed size to wider patterns of plant community ecology.     

Does a latitudinal gradient in seedling survival favour larger seeds in the tropics?

The mean size of seeds produced by plants at the equator is two to three orders of magnitude higher than the mean size of seeds produced by plants at 60°. We compiled data from the literature to assess the possibility that this latitudinal gradient in seed size allows species to cope with more difficult seedling establishment conditions in tropical environments. We found no relationship between latitude and seedling survival through 1 week (P = 0.27, n = 112 species). There was also no evidence that a larger seed mass is required to gain a given level of seedling survival in tropical environments (P = 0.37, n = 112 species), and no relationship between latitude and the duration of the juvenile period (P = 0.57, n = 132 species). Thus, our results are not compatible with the idea that seedling establishment is more difficult in the tropics.     

植物种子大小与幼苗生长策略研究进展

种子大小和幼苗更新对策是植物生活史策略的重要组成部分.本文从不同侧面综述了当前国内外关于种子大小和幼苗之间关系的生态学研究,包括:种子大小对萌发出土的影响,种子大小与幼苗形态生长特性之间的关系,种子大小与幼苗存活、竞争能力之间关系等,并对今后的相关研究进行了展望.在不同的微环境和植被类型下,种子大小与幼苗生长之间的关系可能有所差异;种子大小对植物幼苗生长的影响导致种子大小不同的植物对植被幼苗更新补充的贡献不同;种子大小与幼苗生活史策略关系在大尺度的群落空间水平上和小尺度的物种间与物种内的研究对于天然植被的更新恢复研究具有重要意义.     

Seed reserve composition in 19 tree species of a tropical deciduous forest in Mexico and its relationship to seed germination and seedling growth

Background and Aims

The size and composition of seed reserves may reflect the ecological strategy and evolutionary history of a species and also temporal variation in resource availability. The seed mass and composition of seed reserves of 19 co-existing tree species were studied, and we examined how they varied among species in relation to germination and seedling growth rates, as well as between two years with contrasting precipitation (652 and 384 mm).

Methods

Seeds were collected from a tropical deciduous forest in the northwest of Mexico (Chamela Biological Station). The seed dry mass, with and without the seed coat, and the concentrations of lipids, nitrogen and non-structural carbohydrates for the seed minus seed coat were determined. The anatomical localization of these reserves was examined using histochemical analysis. The germination capacity, rate and lag time were determined. The correlations among these variables, and their relationship to previously reported seedling relative growth rates, were evaluated with and without phylogenetic consideration.

Key Results

There were interannual differences in seed mass and reserve composition. Seed was significantly heavier after the drier year in five species. Nitrogen concentration was positively correlated with seed coat fraction, and was significantly higher after the drier year in 12 species. The rate and lag time of germination were negatively correlated with each other. These trait correlations were also supported for phylogenetic independent contrasts. Principal component analysis supported these correlations, and indicated a negative association of seedling relative growth rate with seed size, and a positive association of germination rate with nitrogen and lipid concentrations.

Conclusions

Nitrogen concentration tended to be higher after the drier year and, while interannual variations in seed size and reserve composition were not sufficient to affect interspecific correlations among seed and seedling traits, some of the reserves were related to germination variables and seedling relative growth rate.     

红豆杉种子发育及幼苗生长动态

对红豆杉〔Ｔａｘｕｓｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ（Ｐｉｌｇｅｒ）Ｒｅｈｄ．〕种子发育及１～５年生实生苗生长动态进行了观测,在秦岭山区,红豆杉成年树３～５月开花,５～９月胚珠逐渐发育,９月下旬种子成熟。实生苗在２龄内地上部生长缓慢,根系生长迅速;自第３年起地上部生长旺盛,地下部则稳定生长。文中就红豆杉人工育苗及家化栽培的问题进行了讨论。     

Seed mass and seedling establishment after fire in Ku‐ring‐gai Chase National Park,Sydney, Australia

Abstract Relationships between seed mass and several aspects of plant regeneration ecology were investigated in a post‐fire environment in Ku‐ring‐gai Chase National Park near Sydney, Australia. We found a significant positive relationship between seed mass and time to seedling emergence (P < 0.001) and a strong negative relationship between seed mass and time between emergence and production of the first true leaf (P < 0.001). Surprisingly, we found no relationship between seed mass and seedling establishment (P = 0.21). It seems most likely that this lack of relationship is a result of the many stochastic factors affecting seedling establishment during any given recruitment episode at any given site. A cause of mortality was assigned to 56% of the 781 seedlings that died during the present study. There was no relationship between cause of death and seed mass (P = 0.28). Of the seedlings for which the cause of death was known, 57% were killed by herbivory and 21% were killed by drought. Seedling–seedling competition affected only one species.     

Dynamics of nutrient remobilisation from seed of wheat genotypes during imbibition,germination and early seedling growth

The changes in nutrient content of grain tissues and seedling parts of two wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L., Excalibur and Janz) with low or high seed Zn content were followed from imbibition to early seedling development (12 days). The grains were separated into seed coat, endosperm and embryo, while the seedlings were separated into roots and shoots. The dry weight of the seed coat did not change throughout the experimental period, whereas the endosperm weight declined rapidly from day 4 onward. The weight of embryo did not show any difference between and within cultivars. About a half of seed Zn was remobilised into shoot and roots during 12 days of growth, regardless of the initial seed Zn content in both genotypes. The seed coat contained 55–77% of the total seed nutrients in the two wheat genotypes, except in the case of S (around 40%). Manganese, Fe, Ca, K, and P were remobilised effectively from the seed coat as well as from the endosperm, while remobilisation of Zn and Cu was relatively less from the seed coat than from the endosperm. After 10 days of growth, all nutrients monitored were completely remobilised from the endosperm. Remobilised K was directed primarily into shoots; an increase in K content in shoots was relatively higher than the accumulation of dry matter, with a consequent increase in K concentration in shoot tissue. The remobilisation of some nutrients (eg. Fe, Ca and Zn) from various grain tissues during inbibition, germination and early growth is different from the remobilisation in more mature plants.     

Seed germination and seedling growth of five desert plants and their relevance to vegetation restoration

Due to significant decreases in precipitation in northern China, knowledge of the response of seed germination and plant growth characteristics to key limiting factors is essential for vegetation restoration. We examined seed germination under different temperatures and water potentials, and we examined seedling growth under different amounts of water supply. Experiments were carried out in automatic temperature‐, humidity‐, and light‐controlled growth chambers. Under low water potentials, the final germination percentages of four herbaceous species were high, while seed germination of the shrub species Caragana microphylla was significantly inhibited. Under the different water supply amounts, seedlings of Agropyron cristatum allocated more biomass to the root and had a higher growth rate than those of Elymus dahuricus and C. microphylla. In light of these results and drier environmental conditions (annual mean precipitation is 366 mm, which falling mainly between June and August), potential selections for revegetation of different landscapes include the following: A. cristatum for shifting sand dunes, the establishment of the pioneer species Agriophyllum squarrosum, C. microphylla for semifixed sand dunes, E. dahuricus for fixed sand dunes, and Melilotus suaveolens and Medicago sativa for cultivation.     

金丝李果实、种子形态分化及外源物质对种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

通过采集3个天然种群的金丝李(Garcinia paucinervis)果实,观察果实和种子的形态性状,分析其种群内和种群间的形态分化,观察不同种群种子萌发和幼苗生长的规律;采用四种植物生长调节剂和两种化学药剂,研究浸种对金丝李种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响。结果表明:金丝李种子长2.48~3.08 cm、宽1.49~1.67cm、百粒重392.50~438.18 g;3个种群果实和种子已产生明显的形态分化,胡润种群多数表型性状值在3个种群中最小,安宁种群的果实和种子偏圆,弄岗种群偏窄;在种群内部,果实和种子重量的分化较显著,整体形态较稳定;在萌发过程中,种子留存,不定根逐渐取代胚根成为主根;3个种群的萌发过程均缓慢,中间阶段几乎停滞,出苗极不整齐,萌发率表现为安宁种群(78.33%)弄岗种群(55%)胡润种群(48.33%),种子存在休眠;从种子萌发来看,以80 mg·L~(-1)的6-BA浸种24 h处理效果最好,萌发时滞最短、萌发率最高、平均萌发时间最短;结合幼苗生长情况来看,10~50 mg·L~(-1)的6-BA和500 mg·L~(-1)的GA_3处理均适宜,以50 mg·L~(-1)的6-BA效果最佳。低浓度的KNO_3和NH_4NO_3能提高萌发率,但未显著加快萌发进程,IAA和NAA对种子萌发和幼苗生长有抑制作用。该研究结果为金丝李的遗传多样性提供了形态学资料,为更好地保护、开发和利用这一珍贵树种提供了科学依据。     

Seed and seedling vigour in relation to crop growth and yield

In theory, seed germination, vigour and size (three aspects of seed quality) may influence crop yield through both indirect and direct effects. The indirect effects include those on percentage emergence and time from sowing to emergence. These influence yield by altering plant population density, spatial arrangement, and crop duration. Direct effects on subsequent plant performance are more difficult to discern. A number of different approaches to testing the hypothesis that seed quality affects subsequent plant performance (implicit in some definitions of vigour) are illustrated. The results show that it is possible to detect such effects in some circumstances.     

Magnetic treatment of irrigation water and snow pea and chickpea seeds enhances early growth and nutrient contents of seedlings

The effects of magnetic treatment of irrigation water and snow pea (Pisum sativum L var. macrocarpon) and Kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) seeds on the emergence, early growth and nutrient contents of seedlings were investigated under glasshouse conditions. The treatments included (i) magnetic treatment of irrigation water (MTW), (ii) magnetic treatment of seeds (MTS), (iii) magnetic treatment of irrigation water and seeds (MTWS) and (iv) no magnetic treatment of irrigation water or seeds as control treatment. A magnetic treatment device with two permanent magnets (magnetic induction: 3.5-136 mT) was used for the above treatments. Seeds were sown in washed sand and seedlings were harvested at 20 days. The results showed that MTW led to a significant (P < 0.05) increase in emergence rate index (ERI; 42% for snow pea and 51% for chickpea), shoot dry weight (25% for snow pea and 20% for chickpea) and contents of N, K, Ca, Mg, S, Na, Zn, Fe and Mn in both seedling varieties compared to control seedlings. Likewise, there were significant increases in ERI (33% for snow peas and 37% for chickpea), shoot dry weight (11% for snow pea and 4% for chickpea) and some nutrients of snow pea and chickpea seedlings with MTS in comparison with the controls. The results of this study suggest that both MTW and MTS have the potential to improve the early seedling growth and nutrient contents of seedlings.     

干扰强度对群落中紫茎泽兰种子萌发、幼苗定居和生长的影响

干扰与外来植物入侵密切相关,种子萌发和幼苗定居是植物生活史中最脆弱、也是外来植物入侵最关键的阶段.为研究干扰在恶性外来入侵植物紫茎泽兰成功入侵过程中的作用,采用人工牧草群落代替自然群落,人为干扰(去除不同面积的牧草)模拟自然干扰的方式,研究了紫茎泽兰入侵初期种子萌发、幼苗定居和生长对不同干扰强度的响应与适应.结果表明:...     

不同光照对望天树种子萌发和幼苗早期生长的影响

在不同光照梯度的人工遮荫和森林生境中,研究了西双版纳季节雨林标志树种望天树的种子萌发和幼苗早期生长特征.结果表明,裸地上的强光照和深度遮荫均不利于望天树种子的萌发,中等程度的遮荫有利于种子萌发.望天树种子萌发率在林窗中央最大,而且萌发迅速,林窗边缘和林下生境不利于种子萌发.幼苗株高、基径和单株叶面积等生长指标均在部分遮荫处理条件下最大;幼苗根冠比在裸地上最高,且随遮荫程度的增加而降低;幼苗比叶面积在一定光照强度范围内随遮荫程度的增加而增大,在3层遮荫最大.除幼苗根冠比以外的其它生长参数均在林窗中央最大.讨论了环境因子(主要是光照强度和光质)对望天树种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.     

Root:shoot ratio in developing seedlings: How seedlings change their allocation in response to seed mass and ambient nutrient supply

Root:shoot (R:S) biomass partitioning is one of the keys to the plants' ability to compensate for limiting resources in the environment and thus to survive and succeed in competition. In adult plants, it can vary in response to many factors, such as nutrient availability in the soil or reserves in the roots from the previous season. The question remains whether, at the interspecific level, reserves in seeds can affect seedlings' R:S ratio in a similar way. Proper allocation to resource‐acquiring organs is enormously important for seedlings and is likely to determine their survival and further success. Therefore, we investigated the effect of seed mass on seedling R:S biomass partitioning and its interaction with nutrient supply in the substrate. We measured seedling biomass partitioning under two different nutrient treatments after 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks for seventeen species differing in seed mass and covering. We used phylogenetically informed analysis to determine the independent influence of seed mass on seedling biomass partitioning. We found consistently lower R:S ratios in seedlings with higher seed mass. Expectedly, R:S was also lower with higher substrate nutrient supply, but substrate nutrient supply had a bigger effect on R:S ratio for species with higher seed mass. These findings point to the importance of seed reserves for the usage of soil resources. Generally, R:S ratio decreased over time and, similarly to the effect of substrate nutrients, R:S ratio decreased faster for large‐seeded species. We show that the seed mass determines the allocation patterns into new resource‐acquiring organs during seedling development. Large‐seeded species are more flexible in soil nutrient use. It is likely that faster development of shoots provides large‐seeded species with the key advantage in asymmetric above‐ground competition, and that this could constitute one of the selective factors for optimum seed mass.     

盐分和母树大小对黑松海防林种子萌发和幼苗早期生长的影响

研究了盐度(0、0.02、0.04和0.08 mol·L~(-1))和黑松母树大小对山东半岛北部海防林的主要造林树种黑松种子萌发和幼苗早期生长的影响.结果表明:盐度对黑松种子的发芽率有显著影响,随着NaCl浓度的升高,种子萌发率逐渐下降;盐分抑制黑松幼苗的早期生长,随着盐浓度升高,黑松幼苗的根长、芽长及根干质量均显著降低;母树大小在总体上对种子萌发率没有影响,但显著影响黑松幼苗的根长、芽长和芽干质量;盐度和母树大小的相互作用显著影响黑松幼苗的根长和芽长.而对黑松种子萌发率、幼苗根干质量和芽干质量的影响不显著.

Abstract：

Pinus thunbergii is the main forestation tree species of coastal protection forests in northern Shandong Peninsula of China. Its seed germination and seedling early growth were stud-ied under the conditions of different water salinity (0, 0. 02, 0. 04, and 0. 08 mol·L~(-1)) and mother tree sizes. With increasing sea water salinity, the seed germination rate, root-and plu-mule length, and the dry weights of root and plumule decreased significantly. Mother tree size had little effects on the seed germination rate, but affected the root-and plumule length and the plumule dry weight significantly. The interaction of sea water salinity and mother tree size affect-ed the root-and plumule length significantly, but less affected the germination rate and the dry weights of root and plumule.     

辽东栎幼苗生长对种子大小和子叶去除处理的响应

该文在温室内盆播条件下,设置不去除子叶(对照)、去除1/4子叶(轻度子叶去除)、1/2子叶(中度子叶去除)和3/4子叶(重度子叶去除)4个处理,研究了种子大小和子叶去除处理对辽东栎幼苗生长及其形态学可塑性的影响.结果表明:(1)大种子幼苗株高、基茎、叶片数、单株叶面积、总干质量和根冠比在所有处理均大于小种子幼苗,除株高...     

哈茨木霉与绿色木霉对杉木种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

以杉木种子为材料,研究不同浓度(0.003、0.03、0.3、3、30、300 mg·L^-1)哈茨木霉和绿色木霉溶液对杉木种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明: 各浓度木霉溶液处理对杉木种子萌发和幼苗生长均有一定的促进作用,其促进效果随着处理浓度的增加均呈先升后降的趋势.与对照相比,0.03 mg·L^-1哈茨木霉和绿色木霉处理对提高杉木种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数、根长、苗高和鲜质量效果最佳,分别提高了57.6%、125.0%、51.0%、209.2%、114.3%、16.1%、24.6%和42.7%、76.7%、43.9%、185.4%、113.8%、8.6%、22.6%;0.3 mg·L^-1哈茨木霉和绿色木霉显著提高杉木幼苗超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化物酶活性,分别增加了157.6%、179.9%和127.5%、116.2%,而丙二醛含量降低了86.1%和72.4%. 0.03～0.3 mg·L^-1浓度的哈茨木霉和绿色木霉不仅能显著促进杉木种子的萌发和幼苗生长,而且能够提高其抗氧化酶活性,增强杉木幼苗的抗逆性.     

黑果枸杞种子萌发及幼苗生长对盐胁迫的响应

研究不同浓度(0、1、2、3、6、9、14、18g.L-1)的盐溶液(NaCl、MgSO4、盐渍土壤)对河西走廊中部荒漠边缘的黑果枸杞种子吸胀、萌发和幼苗生长的影响,并观察胁迫解除后种子的反应。结果表明:黑果枸杞种子吸胀速率随NaCl、MgSO4和土壤溶液浓度的增大呈先升后降的趋势,吸水速度随胁迫时间的延长而减慢;种子萌发率随3种盐浓度的增大而降低,盐胁迫解除后种子仍具有较高的萌发率;发芽指数、活力指数、根长、下胚轴随3种盐浓度的增大而降低或先升后降,根轴比随盐胁迫的增强先升后降;随3种盐浓度的增大,种苗损害率增大,3种盐的胁迫效应依次NaCl>MgSO4>盐渍土壤溶液。黑果枸杞种子萌发和幼苗生长对NaCl胁迫较为敏感,其耐受的临界阈值是6g.L-1;种子萌发能耐受较高浓度的MgSO4的胁迫,幼苗生长对MgSO4胁迫较敏感,其耐受的临界阈值是9g.L-1;种子萌发和幼苗生长对生境盐渍土壤具有较强的耐受能力和适应性。     

Interspecific and intraspecific variation in tree seedling survival: effects of allocation to roots versus carbohydrate reserves

We examined interspecific and intraspecific variation in tree seedling survival as a function of allocation to carbohydrate reserves and structural root biomass. We predicted that allocation to carbohydrate reserves would vary as a function of the phenology of shoot growth, because of a hypothesized tradeoff between aboveground growth and carbohydrate storage. Intraspecific variation in levels of carbohydrate reserves was induced through experimental defoliation of naturally occurring, 2-year-old seedlings of four northeastern tree species –Acer rubrum, A. saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Prunus serotina– with shoot growth strategies that ranged from highly determinate to indeterminate. Allocation to root structural biomass varied among species and as a function of light, but did not respond to the defoliation treatments. Allocation to carbohydrate reserves varied among species, and the two species with the most determinate shoot growth patterns had the highest total mass of carbohydrate reserves, but not the highest concentrations. Both the total mass and concentrations of carbohydrate reserves were significantly reduced by defoliation. Seedling survival during the year following the defoliation treatments did not vary among species, but did vary dramatically in response to defoliation. In general, there was an approximately linear relationship between carbohydrate reserves and subsequent survival, but no clear relationship between allocation to root structural biomass and subsequent survival. Because of the disproportionate amounts of reserves stored in roots, we would have erroneously concluded that allocation to roots was significantly and positively related to seedling survival if we had failed to distinguish between reserves and structural biomass in roots. Received: 14 December 1999 / Accepted: 2 June 1999