Do seeds sense each other? Testing for density‐dependent germination in desert perennial plants

Tielbӧrger, Katja; Prasse, Rüdiger

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.17175.x

Cited by 67 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(106 reference statements)

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“…Therefore, they could have some mechanisms that allow their seeds to evaluate the conditions of their neighbours prior to emergence and to plastically respond to them [5]. C. edulis could also have an allelopathic effect on M. littorea and vice versa, which should be explored in future assays.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br. on the Germination, Establishment and Survival of Native Plants: A Clue for Assessing Its Competitive Strength

Novoa

González

2014

PLoS ONE

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Does Carpobrotus edulis have an impact on native plants? How do C. edulis’ soil residual effects affect the maintenance of native populations? What is the extent of interspecific competition in its invasion process? In order to answer those questions, we established pure and mixed cultures of native species and C. edulis on soil collected from invaded and native areas of Mediterranean coastal dunes in the Iberian Peninsula. We examined the impact of the invader on the germination, growth and survival of seeds and adult plants of two native plant species (Malcolmia littorea (L.) R.Br, and Scabiosa atropurpurea L.) growing with ramets or seeds of C. edulis. Residual effects of C. edulis on soils affected the germination process and early growth of native plants in different ways, depending on plant species and density. Interspecific competition significantly reduced the germination and early growth of native plants but this result was soil, density, timing and plant species dependent. Also, at any density of adult individuals of C. edulis, established native adult plants were not competitive. Moreover, ramets of C. edulis had a lethal effect on native plants, which died in a short period of time. Even the presence of C. edulis seedlings prevents the recruitment of native species. In conclusion, C. edulis have strong negative impacts on the germination, growth and survival of the native species M. littorea and S. atropurpurea. These impacts were highly depended on the development stages of native and invasive plants. Our findings are crucial for new strategies of biodiversity conservation in coastal habitats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br. on the Germination, Establishment and Survival of Native Plants: A Clue for Assessing Its Competitive Strength

Novoa

González

2014

PLoS ONE

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“…Furthermore, they may increase the risk of pathogen infection. A dense neighbourhood may also induce secondary dormancy in some of the seeds and thus reduce the fraction of potentially germinable seeds (Tielbörger and Prasse 2009).…”

Section: Spatial Constancy Of Crack Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desiccation cracks act as natural seed traps in flood-meadow systems

et al. 2010

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Desiccation cracks are a natural phenomenon of clay-rich soils that form via soil shrinkage during dry conditions. Our aim was to test the seed trapping potential of such cracks and assess its impact on seed bank formation in a flood-meadow ecosystem. We documented crack patterns on permanent plots and analysed the soil seed content along and adjacent to cracks. Seed translocation via cracks was tested with a mark-recapture experiment, and postentrapment seed fate was tested with a burial experiment. Most cracks re-opened in the same positions in consecutive dry periods. Along cracks, most seeds were found in 10-20 cm depth, whereas adjacent to cracks most seeds were found in 0-5 cm depth. The majority of seeds found in shallow depths adjacent to cracks belonged to species that were also present in the above-ground vegetation, whereas this rate was always under 50% along desiccation cracks.The mark-recapture experiment gave evidence for vertical seed translocation through desiccation cracks. Post-entrapment seed fate differed between species and burial depth, with a trend towards increasing survival with increasing depth. We conclude that desiccation cracks act as natural seed traps, foster seed bank formation and thus influence plant community dynamics in flood meadow systems.

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“…Bassett & White 2001;Linares et al 2010), biomass and growth rates (Weiner 1990), seed production (Schmitt et al 1987;Weiner 1988), and under high stem density seed germination may be inhibited or delayed (Turkington et al 2005;Tielbörger & Prasse 2009). In eucalypts, stem density effects may be observed as a lack of recruitment, or suppression of recruits, within the proximity of adults.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recruitment limitation in dry sclerophyll forests: Regeneration requirements and potential density-dependent effects in Eucalyptus tricarpa (L.A.S. Johnson) L.A.S. Johnson & K.D. Hill (Myrtaceae)

et al. 2010

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Recruitment limitation in canopy trees is receiving increasing attention as restoration of tree cover for connectivity, biodiversity offsets, carbon-trading and improved catchment health becomes more prominent. Recruitment limitation is often addressed by examining seed traits and germination requirements. Distance between trees is also often explored as a factor, particularly in agricultural landscapes where forest structure has been altered, with large distances between fragments generating Allee effects linked to pollen limitation. Fewer studies have examined how short distances between trees (high stem densities), which can characterize regenerated forests, might affect recruitment. This study examined recruitment limitation by exploring germination requirements of Eucalyptus tricarpa (red ironbark) and the effects of stem density on seed characters and germination. Eucalyptus tricarpa is a canopy species in the box-ironbark forests of central Victoria, Australia. During the early European settlement phase in the 1800s these forests were heavily impacted by human disturbances including mining, logging and livestock grazing. In many regenerated stands, now more than 100 years old, current stem density exceeds those documented in 19th century reports and there is little regeneration of key canopy species such as E. tricarpa. In laboratory trials seed germinated at 18°C in darkness, and while viability varied among populations, overall it remained high (91-96%) and did not differ among populations with different stem densities. An in situ germination trial addressing sowing season, ground-cover, soil-ripping, canopy-cover and stem density recorded no germination. High stem density in coppicing box-ironbark forest was hypothesized to limit resources for reproduction; however, no relationship was found between nearest neighbour distance, allocation to selected reproductive structures or seed viability. The relative insensitivity of reproductive allocation to intraspecific competition (high stem density) may be interpreted as a trait linked to unpredictable environments and consistent with long-lived species. In terms of management, recruitment limitation in E. tricarpa appears not primarily attributable to seed viability, tested seedbed treatments or stem density so further factors, including fire, now require exploration.

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Do seeds sense each other? Testing for density‐dependent germination in desert perennial plants

Cited by 67 publications

References 54 publications

Impacts of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br. on the Germination, Establishment and Survival of Native Plants: A Clue for Assessing Its Competitive Strength

Impacts of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br. on the Germination, Establishment and Survival of Native Plants: A Clue for Assessing Its Competitive Strength

Desiccation cracks act as natural seed traps in flood-meadow systems

Recruitment limitation in dry sclerophyll forests: Regeneration requirements and potential density-dependent effects in Eucalyptus tricarpa (L.A.S. Johnson) L.A.S. Johnson & K.D. Hill (Myrtaceae)

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