An experimental test of density- and distant-dependent recruitment of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) in southeastern Amazonia

According to the Janzen–Connell model, high mortality of seeds and seedlings in proximity to conspecific adults can help maintain species diversity in tropical forests. Using a natural population of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King), we tested the model’s mechanism by examining seed predation and juvenile recruitment in the forest understory and in treefall gaps in the vicinity of both isolated and clumped adults. We used tethered seeds placed in three types of exclosure plots: (1) complete access to seeds, (2) semi-access (access by small-sized seed predators) and (3) no access (all mammals excluded). Exclosure treatments were applied within the understory (both near and far from adults) and in gaps at eight fruiting adults in the late dry season (2001) and scored ten months later. Significantly more seeds were removed in canopy gaps near clumped adults than at isolated adults; otherwise, none of the treatment factors significantly influenced seed predation. In contrast, understory juvenile recruitment was significantly enhanced by distance from adults and was twice as high at isolated than clumped adults, providing novel support for the Janzen–Connell mechanism. No-access exclosures protected significantly more seeds than semi- and full-access exclosures, implicating small mammals in seed losses. Across the eight trees, juvenile recruitment in the no-access exclosures decreased significantly with conspecific adult densities, implicating non-mammalian density-responsive factor(s) in mortality following germination; likely a known specialist invertebrate herbivore. When all treatments were combined, conspecific adult basal area and total DBH explained 72 and 90% of variation in overall juvenile recruitment, respectively. Collectively, these results indicate that Janzen–Connell effects can operate in S. macrophylla, especially during the seed-to-seedling transition, and will likely reduce recruitment in areas of high conspecific densities. They also suggest that further research into the causes of density-dependence in tropical trees should investigate mortality agents following germination.     

Tree seed germination and seedling establishment in treefall gaps and understorey in a subtropical forest of northeast India

Abstract Seed germination, and survival and growth of seedlings of four dominant tree species, Quercus dealbata, Quercus griffithii, Quercus glauca and Schima khasiana were studied in the treefall gaps and forest understorey of an undisturbed mature-phase humid subtropical broadleaved forest in northeast India. Three important microenvironmental factors namely photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), soil moisture and litter depth, were also measured in the forest understorey and gaps and correlated with seedling mortality. Seed germination of S. khasiana was significantly higher in the treefall gaps than in the understorey; among the tree species studied, it had the highest germination. Quercus seedlings were abundant in the understorey and small gaps, while S. khasiana seedlings were more numerous in the large gaps. The survivorship curves for the seedling populations revealed that the three Quercus species survived better in the understorey, while S. khasiana did so in the gaps. PAR and soil moisture were positively correlated with tree seedling mortality, which occurred mainly during the winter months. The Quercus seedlings grew better in the forest understorey and small gaps and S. khasiana seedlings in the large gaps. The differential performance of the tree seedlings to the conditions prevailing in the understorey and gaps of two sizes indicates that different species were adapted to different light environments depending upon their optimum requirements. This could be an effective mechanism for promoting species coexistence in the forest community.     

Rodent seed predation and seedling recruitment in mesic grassland

Seedling recruitment of two grasses (Arrhenatherum elatius and Festuca rubra) and two herbs (Centaurea nigra and Rumex acetosa) was measured in areas with and without rodents to which seeds of each species were sown at three seed densities (1000, 10,000 and 50,000 seeds m⁻²) in two seasons (spring and autumn 1995). Seed removal was measured for 10-day periods and the fate of seedlings was followed for 15 months after sowing. The proportion of seed removed ranged from 6 to 85% and increased with increasing seed density for each species. Rodents had no effect on seedling emergence or survival in the spring sowing. In the autumn sowing, rodents reduced seedling emergence of all four species sown at 1000 and 10,000 seeds m⁻² but had no impact at 50,000 seeds m⁻², presumably because of microsite limitation. We suggest the difference between spring and autumn arose because emergence was seed limited in autumn but microsite limited in spring; microsite availability was higher in autumn because a summer drought killed plants, reduced plant biomass and opened up the sward. Fifteen months after the autumn sowing, fewer A. elatius and C. nigra seedlings survived on plots exposed to rodents. This result reflected not only the reduced seedling emergence but also increased seedling mortality (seedling herbivory) in sites exposed to rodents. In contrast, F. rubra and R.acteosa showed density-dependent seedling survival which compensated for initial differences in seedling emergence, so that no effect of rodents remained after 15 months. The results suggest that rodent seed predation and seedling herbivory exert strong effects on seedling recruitment of A.elatius and C. nigra when recruitment conditions are favourable (conditions that lead to high microsite availability) and may contribute to both species being maintained at low densities in the grassland. The results also demonstrate that highly significant impacts of rodent seed predation at the seedling emergence stage can disappear by the time of plant maturation. Received: 2 March 1998 / Accepted: 28 September 1998     

Seed and microsite limitations of recruitment and the impacts of post-dispersal seed predation at the within population level

Seed predation may cause important seed losses in plant populations, but its impact on the dynamics of populations will depend on the degree of seed or microsite limitations for recruitment. Seed losses will only affect recruitment if it is seed limited. The nature of recruitment limitation (seeds or microsites) is usually ascribed to whole plant populations but it may vary within populations among microhabitats and habitats. Thus, the potential impact of seed predation will also vary within the population, being highest where recruitment is seed limited. The impact to the whole population will depend on the spatial concordance between the intensity of seed predation and that of seed limitation. Recruitment limitations (with seed addition experiments), seed predation (with seed removal experiments), and the dynamics of seed availability in the soil (with soil samples taken both after seed dispersal and before the following dispersal event) of the shrub Corema album (Empetraceae) were investigated in dunes in NW Spain, at microhabitats ‘open ground’, ‘underneath C. album ♀’, and ‘underneath C. album ♂’ at two habitats, sparse and dense scrub. The nature of recruitment limitation (seeds vs. microsites) varied within the population. It was seed limited in the microhabitat ‘open ground’ and microsite limited under shrub cover. The spatial patterns of seedling recruitment were unrelated to seed availability but strongly affected by germination requirements. The spatial discordance between seed availability and recruitment implies a crucial constraint for processes affecting seed availability (seed predation but also e.g., dispersal) to impact recruitment. They will not affect its spatial pattern but only its quantity as long as they act in those sites selected by seeds to germinate. Seed predation was highest underneath mother plants and lowest in open ground. Thus, its potential impact is low, as it is centred where recruitment is not seed limited. This study shows that the analysis of seed predation in relation to recruitment limitations at smaller spatial scales within the population provides more insight to understand its impact.     

Effect of seed predation on seed bank size and seedling recruitment of bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus)

Whether seed consumers affect plant establishment is an important unresolved question in plant population biology. Seed consumption is ubiquitous; at issue is whether seedling recruitment is limited by safe-sites or seeds. If most seeds inhabit sites unsuitable for germination, post-dispersal seed consumption primarily removes seeds that would otherwise never contribute to the population and granivory has minimal impacts on plant abundance. Alternatively, if most seeds ultimately germinate before they lose viability, there is greater potential for seed consumption to affect plant recruitment. Of the many studies on seed consumption, few ask how seed loss affects seedling recruitment for species with long-lived seed banks. We examined post-dispersal seed predation and seedling emergence in bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus), a woody leguminous shrub of coastal grasslands and dunes in California. We followed the fate of seeds in paired experimental seed plots that were either protected or exposed to rodent granivores in grassland and dune habitats. Significantly more seeds were removed by rodents in dunes than grasslands. In dunes, where rodent granivory was greatest (65% and 86% of seeds removed from plots by rodents in two successive years), there is a sparse seed bank (6.6 seeds m⁻²), and granivory significantly reduced seedling emergence (in the same two years, 18% and 19.4% fewer seedlings emerged from exposed versus protected plots), suggesting seed rather than safe-site limited seedling recruitment. In contrast, rodents removed an average of 6% and 56% of seeds from grassland plots during the same two years, and the grassland seed bank is 43-fold that of the dunes (288 seeds m⁻²). Even high seed consumption in the second year of the study only marginally influenced recruitment because seeds that escaped predation remained dormant. Burial of seeds in both habitats significantly reduced the percentage of seeds removed by rodents. Results suggest that granivores exert strong but habitat-dependent effects on lupine seed survival and seedling emergence. Received: 24 October 1996 / Accepted: 4 February 1997     

Effects of seed dispersal on Juniperus communis recruitment on a Mediterranean mountain

Abstract. The recruitment of the relict shrub Juniperus communis on a mountain in SE Spain was studied during the period 1994–1998. The main objective was to determine both the quantitative and qualitative effects of bird dispersal on seedling establishment. Seed removal by birds, seed rain, post‐dispersal seed predation, germination, and seedling emergence and survival were analysed in different microhabitats. Birds removed 53 ‐ 89% of the seeds produced by plants. Seed rain was spatially irregular as most seeds accumulated near stones used by birds as perches and below mother plants while a few seeds were dropped in wet meadows and open ground areas. Post‐dispersal seed predation by rodents affected < 10% of dispersed seeds but varied significantly among microhabitats. Only 3.6 ‐ 5.5% of dispersed seeds appeared viable, as many seeds had aborted or showed wasp damage. Seeds germinated in the second and third springs after sowing, reaching a germination percentage of 36%. Seedling emergence was concentrated in wet meadows. Seedling mortality was high (75–80%), but significantly lower in wet meadows, the only microhabitat where seedlings could escape from summer drought, the main mortality cause. Seed abortion, germination and seedling mortality proved to be the main regeneration constraints of J. communis on Mediterranean mountains. Birds exerted a strong demographic effect, although their qualitative effect was limited by abiotic factors which caused the pattern of seed rain to differ from the final pattern of recruitment between microhabitats.     

Modelling oldfield species richness in a mountain area

Seed predation by rodents affects plant population dynamics and it mayrespond to changes in vegetation structure at forest edges. This studyinvestigates the magnitude and direction of a potential edge effect intemperatedeciduous forests, and it seeks possible explanations based on predatorabundance and vegetation structure. The study was conducted at twelve forestedges in northern Switzerland; in six sites all shrubs at the forest edge wereremoved, whereas the other sites maintained a structurally rich shrub layer. Ineach site three transects were laid out from the edge towards the forestinterior. In six plots along these transects (at 1, 3, 6, 12, 25, 50m) we studied seed removal from experimental dishes, rodentabundance in live-traps and four characteristics of the vegetation structure.For both woody seed species (Prunus avium,Viburnum lantana) predation was significantly higher nearthe forest edge in the structurally rich sites; in the other sites no suchgradient was found. Selectively accessible dishes revealed that rodents werethemain predators, whereas predation by insects or molluscs was not observed.Abundance of rodents (Apodemus flavicollis, A.sylvaticus, Clethrionomys glareolus) washighestunder dense shrubs close to the forest edge. In the structurally rich sitesthere was a clear gradient of decreasing shrub cover from the edge towards theforest interior; a weaker gradient was observed in the structurally poor sites.We conclude that high shrub cover near the forest edge is the main determinantfor edge effects in seed predation, and edges without a shrub belt show no sucheffect.     

六盘山区辽东栎的实生苗更新及其影响因子

研究了六盘山区辽东栎(Quercus liaotungensis)灌丛的种子产量、土壤种子库组成、湿沙和风干贮藏对种子寿命的影响以及动物取食子叶对种子萌发和幼苗建立的影响。结果表明, 辽东栎灌丛种子的完好率为27.51%, 被动物取食或搬运种子的比例(41.51%)显著高于其他类型种子(p < 0.01); 辽东栎次生林土壤种子库中萌发和虫蛀种子分别占35.16%和38.29%, 完好种子仅占13.65%, 捕食动物主要通过贮藏或搬运而影响土壤种子库中的种子密度。湿沙贮藏60天的辽东栎种子自动萌发率高达96.67%, 短期贮藏可加快种子的萌发进程, 提高萌发率和萌发指数, 但随着贮藏时间的延长, 种子萌发进程延迟, 萌发率、萌发指数和活力指数均不同程度地降低。排除动物取食处理的幼苗在林窗和林下生境的存活率分别为80%和83%, 而不排除动物取食幼苗在2种生境中分别仅有25%和31%能够存活, 表明子叶在幼苗建立中具有重要作用。林窗中幼苗子叶的动物取食率(85.00%)高于林下(71.00%), 子叶留存的幼苗在林窗中的存活率(6.00%)低于林下(15.50%), 而子叶被取食幼苗的存活率在两种环境中基本相等(分别为18.50%和18.00%)。     

Effects of microhabitat on palm seed predation in two forest fragments in southeast Brazil

The establishment of plants depends crucially on where seeds are deposited in the environment. Some authors suggest that in forest understory seed predation is lower than in gaps, and higher than at the forest edge. However, most studies have been carried out in large forest patches and very little is known about the effects of microhabitat conditions on seed predation in forest fragments. We evaluated the effects of three microhabitats (gaps, forest edge, and understory) on seed predation of two palm species (Euterpe edulis and Syagrus romanzoffiana) in two semi-deciduous forest fragments (230 and 2100 ha) in southeast Brazil. Our objective was to test two hypotheses: (1) Low rodent abundance in small fragments as a result of meso-predator action levels leads to lower seed predation in small fragments. (2) Most mammal species in small fragments are generalists with respect to diet and habitat, so that seed predation is similar in different microhabitats (gaps, forest edge and understory) in the small fragment, but not in the larger one. The study community of small fragments is usually composed of generalist species (in diet and habitat aspects), so we expected the same rate of seed predation among microhabitats (gaps, forest edge and understory) in the tested smaller fragment. The experiment was carried out in the dry season (for E. edulis) and in the wet season (for S. romanzoffiana) in 1999. We conclude that post-dispersal seed predation in forest fragments can be directly connected with mammal communities, reflecting their historical and ecological aspects.     

Seed development and germination ecophysiology of the invasive tree <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus serotina</Emphasis> (Rosaceae) in a temperate forest in Western Europe

Seed development, dormancy and germination of the American invasive tree species, Prunus serotina, are described for plants growing in a large forest in Belgium. Seeds of P. serotina were collected following anthesis in the first week of July and thereafter at fortnightly intervals. Seed dormancy, temperature requirements for germination and the soil seed bank were investigated. At maturation (about 105 days after anthesis), seed moisture content had decreased to around 13.7%, and 44% of the seeds had attained the capacity to germinate. Mature seeds of P. serotina exhibited physiological dormancy, germinating only after a long cold, moist stratification period. Highest germination percentage occurred in seeds treated with gibberellic acid (GA₃), at 10°C. We found no evidence that P. serotina forms a persistent seed bank but noticed a persistent seedling bank in the field.     

Combined effects of heat shock, smoke and darkness on germination of Epacris stuartii Stapf., an endangered fire-prone Australian shrub

Epacris stuartii (Epacridaceae) is an endangered heathland shrub in which seedling recruitment occurs almost exclusively after fire. Seed viability and multiple seed dormancy mechanisms were examined to explore why levels of seedling recruitment were low after some fires, despite high rates of pre-fire seed production. The individual and combined effects of heat shock, smoke derivatives and darkness on germination were tested in the laboratory using an orthogonal logit-linear model, a form of analysis ideally suited to hypotheses concerning multiple germination cues. Seed viability (56%) was found not to be limiting. After 89 days of incubation, germination was significantly enhanced by heat shock, smoke treatment and continuous darkness but there were no significant interactions. These effects were equal in magnitude and additive such that maximum germination (42% of viable seeds) was stimulated when all three treatments were combined, significantly less germination occurred in response to any two treatments combined (22–23%), any single treatment stimulated germination at levels (10–11%) significantly less than two treatments and the lowest levels of germination occurred among untreated seeds (4%). Relative to the untreated control, germination was stimulated by smoke derivatives in high concentrations but not in low concentrations. The effect of darkness diminished with time so that after 270 days of incubation darkness had no significant effect on germination, while heat and smoke still enhanced germination significantly, additively and interchangeably. More prolonged germination of seeds exposed to light on the soil surface than buried seed may spread the risk of desiccation of emerging seedlings over multiple rainfall events. The role of heat and smoke derivates suggests that fire management is a crucial tool for influencing seedling recruitment and hence the survival of E. stuartii at its only known location. Received: 3 November 1996 / Accepted: 15 June 1997     

Effect of Resting Patterns of Tamarins (<Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Saguinus fuscicollis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Saguinus mystax</Emphasis>) on the Spatial Distribution of Seeds and Seedling Recruitment

The spatial distributions of dispersed seeds have important evolutionary consequences for plants. Repeated defecations in sites frequently used by seed dispersers can result in high seed concentrations. We observed the resting behavior of a mixed-species group of tamarins in Peru and recorded the occurrence of seed dispersal (over 8 mo) and seed fate (over 11–22 mo) to determine whether the location and use of resting sites influenced the spatial distribution of dispersed seeds and seedlings. The tamarins rested mostly on trees (Saguinus fuscicollis: 60.6%, S. mystax: 89.2%) and dead trunks (S. fuscicollis: 24.4%) and used 61% of their resting sites repeatedly. During both the dry and wet seasons, tamarins dispersed significantly more seeds within resting areas (0.00662 and 0.00424 seeds/m², respectively) than outside them (0.00141 and 0.00181 seeds/m²). Seed survival and seedling recruitment did not differ significantly between resting and other areas, resulting in a higher seedling concentration around the resting sites. Seed density did not increase with the duration or the frequency of use of the resting sites but did increase when we pooled the seasonal resting sites together in 50 m × 50 m quadrats, ultimately causing a clumped distribution of dispersed seeds. The use of resting sites in secondary forest, particularly during the dry season, allows the creation of seedling recruitment centers for species coming from the primary forest. Our findings show that tamarin resting behavior affects the spatial distribution of dispersed seeds and seedlings, and their resting sites play an important role in plant diversity maintenance and facilitate forest regeneration in degraded areas.     

Seed predation and seedling recruitment in plants: the effect of the distance between parents

We present a graphic model that explores the effect of distance between parent plants on seed predation and seedling recruitment. Based on the assumption that distance between parents may affect the shape of the seed shadow, the model predicts that seed predators may affect seedling recruitment curves under isolated plants but they are unable to affect these curves under close parent plants. The predictions of the model are tested experimentally in Cryptocarya alba (Lauraceae), a common tree of the Mediterranean forest, Central Chile. Results show that predictions are not met under isolated parent plants. Although seed density decreases significantly away from parent plants, this effect is not relevant for seed predation and seedling recruitment. The biotic/abiotic contrast existing under the canopy vs outside the canopy, plus the shade-tolerance of this tree, better explains the seedling recruitment observed under isolated parent plants. Nevertheless, the predictions of the model are corroborated under close parent plants. Seed shadows overlap to the extent that they generate a homogeneous seed distribution, homogeneous seed predation and homogeneous seedling recruitment as well. We discuss the implications of the model in terms of the spatial pattern of seedlings and the benefits of dispersal from isolated and close parent plants.     

Seed predation limits post-fire recruitment in the waratah (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Telopea speciosissima</Emphasis>)

Seed predation may reduce recruitment in populations that are limited by the availability of seeds rather than microsites. Fires increase the availability of both seeds and microsites, but in plants that lack a soil- or canopy-stored seed bank, post-fire recruitment is often delayed compared to the majority of species. Pyrogenic flowering species, such as Telopea speciosissima, release their non-dormant seeds more than 1 year after fire, by which time seed predation and the availability of microsites may differ from that experienced by plants recruiting soon after fire. I assessed the role of post-dispersal seed predation in limiting seedling establishment after fire in T. speciosissima, in southeastern Australia. Using a seed-planting experiment, I manipulated vertebrate access to seeds and the combined cover of litter and vegetation within experimental microsites in the 2 years of natural seed fall after a fire. Losses to vertebrate and invertebrate seed predators were rapid and substantial, with 50% of seeds consumed after 2 months in exposed locations and after 5 months when vertebrates were excluded. After 7 months, only 6% of seeds or seedlings survived, even where vertebrates were excluded. Removing litter and vegetation increased the likelihood of seed predation by vertebrates, but had little influence on losses due to invertebrates. Microsites with high-density vegetation and litter cover were more likely to have seed survival or germination than microsites with low-density cover. Recruitment in pyrogenic flowering species may depend upon the release of seeds into locations where dense cover may allow them to escape from vertebrate predators. Even here, conditions suitable for germination must occur soon after seed release for seeds to escape from invertebrate predators. Seed production will also affect recruitment after any one fire, while the ability of some juvenile and most adult plants to resprout after fire buffers populations against rapid declines when there is little successful recruitment.     

Short‐term changes affecting regeneration of Fagus crenata after the simultaneous death of Sasa kurilensis

Abstract. Question: The aim of the present study is to determine whether seed/seedling predation will increase and Fagus survival will decline with the recovery of the Sasa cover. Methods: We examined Fagus crenata regeneration for seven years in an old‐growth Fagus‐Sasa forest near Lake Towada, northern Japan, by examining the effects of simultaneous death of Sasa, tree canopy gap formation, mast seeding of Fagus and seed and seedling predation by rodents on the survival of Fagus seeds and current year seedlings. We established four types of sites differing in forest canopy (closed or gap) and Sasa status (dead or alive) following the simultaneous flowering and death of Sasa kurilensis (dwarf bamboo) in 1995. Results: Fallen Fagus seed was abundant in 1997 and 2000 (mast years). In sites with alive Sasa, survival from the first growing season was low due to high seed and seedling predation. In sites with dead Sasa, seed survival under the canopy was high for both mast years, but in gaps it varied between years. Seedling survival was highest in canopy gaps with dead Sasa (gap‐dead) in 1998, because of higher light levels and lower predation by rodents. However, seedling survival in these plots was low in 2001, apparently because rapid Sasa recovery favoured rodent predation. In both mast years, Sasa die‐back had significant positive effects on seed and seedling survival under closed canopies because the seedlings there were more successful in escaping predation. Conclusion: The change in successful sites for the early stage of regeneration of Fagus appears to reflect the combined effects of canopy gap, seed/seedling predation and revegetation of Sasa.     

Reinvasion of a Riparian Forest Community by an Animal-dispersed Tree Weed Following Control Measures

Patterns of seed dispersal and the effects of mulching upon Celtis sinensis Pers. seedling establishment were investigated following the removal of this tree weed from a riparian forest community. At the commencement of the study there was virtually no representation of C. sinensis in the soil seed bank. However, subsequent rates of seed immigration were high since mature individuals of C. sinensis remained on the boundary of the site. Fruit bats (Pteropus spp.) were the principal dispersal vectors. Seed rain density of C. sinensis was best fitted by an inverse power distribution, with seed densities in excess of 20 m⁻² detected at 70 m from the seed source. Extrapolation from this relationship suggested that a site would have to be more than 350 m from a seed source to reduce the C. sinensis seed rain to less than 1 m⁻². More than 98% of the seed rain occurred below the canopies of the native tree species that remained following the removal of C. sinensis. For these trees, subarboreal C. sinensis seed distributions were not homogeneous, with peak seed densities occurring at different distances from tree trunks in each of the two years that seed distributions were assessed. Mulching with compacted sugar cane trash, corresponding to litter loadings of 6–12 kg m⁻², was imposed early in the study, some weeks before the C. sinensis seed rain commenced. These treatments had no measurable effect upon C. sinensis germination, but substantially reduced seedling survival and had variable effects upon the early growth of seedlings. The potential roles of seed limitation vs establishment limitation are discussed in relation to the management of animal-dispersed invasive species. It is argued that an understanding of the likely levels and patterns of invasion is essential for the formulation of management strategies that can effectively reduce the invasion and impacts of these plants. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Distribution and abundance of Tillandsia spp. (Bromeliaceae) in the Zapotitlán Valley,Puebla, México

Seed germination of woody species was studied in treefall gaps in NewZealand to assess how environmental heterogeneity affects regeneration fromseed. Gaps were created in a relictual Pinus radiataplantation destined for restoration to native forest. Seeds of the nativespecies Alectryon excelsus, Macropiperexcelsum, and Fuchsia excorticata, and theinvasive alien species Cytisus scoparius andBerberis darwinii were sown in sites differing inexposure,with and without 3 cm of pine litter. Litter promoted germinationof Alectryon and Macropiper,independent of site. Without litter, percent germination ofMacropiper was negatively correlated with percent open skyoverhead. Germination of Fuchsia was significantly higherin treefall gaps than in the forest understory, with litter having littleeffect. Cytisus germinated most successfully in sitesexposed to direct solar radiation, with or without litter. Percent germinationof Berberis was high in all sites, and was consistentlypromoted by litter. Glasshouse trials for each species showed the same effectsof litter cover as found in the field. These results suggest thatmicroenvironmental heterogeneity can be an important influence on the speciescomposition of regenerating vegetation within and around treefall gaps.     

Seed bank dynamics of two obligate seeders, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cistus monspeliensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosmarinus officinalis</Emphasis>, in relation to time since fire

Many species in Mediterranean-type ecosystems regenerate after fire by seed germination from soil seed banks. Seed bank dynamics of two of those obligate seeders, Cistus monspeliensis and Rosmarinus officinalis, were investigated in relation to stand age since fire in southwestern Portugal. Soil seed density, annual seed input, annual seed losses through germination and seed persistence were compared between species at stands differing in age since fire (5, 10 and 35 years). Soil seed density and seed input increased over the first decade after fire and were lowest at 35-year-old stands for C. monspeliensis. In R. officinalis, few seeds were produced and found in the soil at early stages, and maximum seed input and soil seed density were attained at 35-year-old stands. Soil seed density was mostly driven by seed production in both species, which is largely dependent on plant traits and population dynamics related to fire. Overall, stand age since fire had a negligible effect on seed germination, seed persistence and viability. Ten to 39% of buried seeds were not recovered after 1 year, and viability of seeds recovered was 97–100% for C. monspeliensis and only 0–3% for R. officinalis. Variation in plant traits within the seeder syndrome was evidenced by this study. R. officinalis evidenced lower seed persistence, lower proportion of viable seed produced and lower density of viable soil seed than C. monspeliensis at any stage after fire. R. officinalis is expected to depend largely on previous year seed production for population replacement after fire.     

Ecology of seed germination of eight non-pioneer tree species from a tropical seasonal rain forest in southwest China

We compared various aspects of the seed biology of eight non-pioneer tree species from a tropical seasonal rain forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China, that differ in time of dispersal, size and fresh seed moisture content (MC). Seeds were tested for germination under laboratory conditions after dehydration to different moisture levels and under 3.5, 10 and 30% solar irradiances in neutral-shade houses. For six species, germination was also compared in forest understory (3.5% light) and center of a forest gap (32.5% light). Under continuous dehydration over activated silica gel, 100% of seeds of four species had lost the ability to germinate after 48 h, and those of all species except Castanopsis hystrix (decreased from >90 to 30% germination) had lost the ability to germinate after 120 h. Four species did not differ in final germination percentages at the three irradiances (i.e. uniform germination). However, final germination percentages of Horsfieldia pandurifolia and Litsea pierrei var. szemaois were significantly lower in 30% than in 10 or 3.5% light, and seeds of Antiaris toxicaria and C. hystrix germinated to higher percentages in 30 and 10% than in 3.5% light. Mean time to germination (MTG) of the eight species (forest and shade house data combined) ranged from 5–5 days for Pometia tomentosa to 72–207days for L. pierrei; MTG for four species was ≤21 days. There was no obvious relationship between relative desiccation resistance and either time of dispersal, MTG or uniformity of germination at the three light levels, or between seed size and MC or MTG. However, the relationship between seed MC at maturity (25–60% fresh mass basis) and MC at 50% loss of seed viability (12.4–42.5%) was significant. Seven of the species fit Garwood’s (Ecol Monogr 53:159–181, 1983) rapid-rainy germination syndrome and one, L. pierrei, either her delayed-rainy or intermediate-dry germination syndrome. However, fresh, non-dehydrated seeds of all eight species germinated in ≤30 days at constant 30°C in light.     

Seed Dispersal of a High Quality Fruit by Specialized Frugivores: High Quality Dispersal?1

Dispersal quality, as estimated by the cumulative effects of dispersal, germination, seed predation, and seedling survival, was examined for Beilschmiedia pendula (Lauraceae) in Monteverde, Costa Rica. I determined the pattern of dispersal by finding seeds deposited by birds, protected the seeds from seed predators with cages to assess germination and seedling survival, and examined seed predation rates with marked seeds. Seed predation, germination, and seedling survival were compared between seeds naturally dispersed by birds and seeds placed at randomly located sites. Approximately 70 percent of seeds dispersed by birds (N= 244) were deposited <10 m from crown edges of fruiting B. pendula trees, although some seeds were dispersed at least 70 m away. Larger seeds were more likely to be dispersed under or close to the parent trees, and larger seeds produced larger seedlings. Seed size was not correlated directly with seedling survival, but larger seedlings at three months were most likely to survive one year. Seed predation by mammals and insects and seedling mortality due to fungal pathogens were concentrated beneath the crowns of parent trees. Seedlings and saplings were more abundant beneath fruiting B. pendula trees, but individuals farther away were taller on average. Thus, dispersal is beneficial for B. pendula, but such benefits appear most pronounced at a small spatial scale; seeds dispersed >30 m from the crown edges actually had a lower probability of survival than those dispersed 10–20 m. Only 10 percent of B. pendula. seeds received high‐quality dispersal in terms of landing in the zone with the highest per seed probability of seedling survival 10–20 m from parental crowns.