Seed germination ecology in southwestern Western Australia

Bell, David T.; Plummer, Julie; Taylor, Susan K.

doi:10.1007/bf02856612

Cited by 287 publications

(249 citation statements)

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“…In this study, we used hyperspectral imaging data to determine the germination of seeds from three native Australian tree species [6,20,37,38]. Seeds were exposed to standardized rapid ageing conditions (60°C and 60% eRH) [6,20], and at each assessment point were subjected to germination testing and hyperspectral imaging.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using hyperspectral imaging to determine germination of native Australian plant seeds

Nansen

Zhao

Dakin

et al. 2015

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

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a b s t r a c tWe investigated the ability to accurately and non-destructively determine the germination of three native Australian tree species, Acacia cowleana Tate (Fabaceae), Banksia prionotes L.F. (Proteaceae), and Corymbia calophylla (Lindl.) K.D. Hill & L.A.S. Johnson (Myrtaceae) based on hyperspectral imaging data. While similar studies have been conducted on agricultural and horticultural seeds, we are unaware of any published studies involving reflectance-based assessments of the germination of tree seeds. Hyperspectral imaging data (110 narrow spectral bands from 423.6 nm to 878.9 nm) were acquired of individual seeds after 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 days of standardized rapid ageing. At each time point, seeds were subjected to hyperspectral imaging to obtain reflectance profiles from individual seeds. A standard germination test was performed, and we predicted that loss of germination was associated with a significant change in seed coat reflectance profiles. Forward linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to select the 10 spectral bands with the highest contribution to classifications of the three species. In all species, germination decreased from over 90% to below 20% in about 10-30 days of experimental ageing. P 50 values (equal to 50% germination) for each species were 19.3 (A. cowleana), 7.0 (B. prionotes) and 22.9 (C. calophylla) days. Based on independent validation of classifications of hyperspectral imaging data, we found that germination of Acacia and Corymbia seeds could be classified with over 85% accuracy, while it was about 80% for Banksia seeds. The selected spectral bands in each LDA-based classification were located near known pigment peaks involved in photosynthesis and/or near spectral bands used in published indices to predict chlorophyll or nitrogen content in leaves. The results suggested that seed germination may be successfully classified (predicted) based on reflectance in narrow spectral bands associated with the primary metabolism function and performance of plants.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using hyperspectral imaging to determine germination of native Australian plant seeds

Nansen

Zhao

Dakin

et al. 2015

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

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“…The period of time in which the mature seeds remain enclosed in these cones or capsules depends on the species, the environmental conditions in which they grow and their degree of serotinity. Many studies have described several species of Pinus and Eucalyptus as serotinous [1,2,3,4,9,10,12,14,19,28,30,33,42,46], although the degree of serotinity is not a constant characteristic. It can vary from one population to another and between individuals in the same population, even to the point where a non-serotinous tree may become serotinous as it gets older [30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of seed age on germinative response to the effects of fire in Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus

Reyes

Casal

2001

Ann. For. Sci.

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-The aim of this study was to understand the germinative response to fire of three species of seeds of different ages. An experiment was designed in which mature seeds of Pinus pinaster, P. radiata and Eucalyptus globulus were matured and stored in four consecutive years (1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993) and then subjected to high temperatures, the addition of ash, and both factors together. A control treatment for the seeds of each age and species was also performed. Significant differences were observed between the species. The germinative behaviour of seeds subjected to different factors involved in forest fires varied according to the age or the year of collection. This variation was more pronounced in some species than in others. For E. globulus the germination rate followed biannual cycles in which a year with low values followed a year with high values. In nearly all the species, sensitivity to factors related to forest fires increased with age.P. pinaster / P. radiata / E. globulus / germination / fire / seed age Résumé. -Influence de l'âge de la semence sur sa réponse germinative aux effets d'incendie chez Pinus pinaster, P. radiata et Eucalyptus globulus. L'objet de cette étude était de déterminer les effets du feu sur la germination de graines conservées plus ou moins longtemps. Des graines de Pinus pinaster, P. radiata et E. globulus récoltées mûres et conservées pendant quatre années consécutives (1990, 1991, 1992 et 1993) ont été exposées à des chocs thermiques, à des cendres et aux deux facteurs combinés. Un traitement témoin était prévu pour chaque durée de conservation. Des différences significatives ont été observées entre les espèces. La réponse germinative de graines soumises aux facteurs liés aux incendies varie en fonction de l'espèce et de l'âge des graines. Chez E. globulus le taux de germination suit des cycles bisannuels. Pour la plupart des espèces étudiées la sensibilité aux effets d'incendie s'accroit avec l'âge des semences.P. pinaster / P. radiata / E. globulus / germination / feu / âge de la semence

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“…Signal effects are instances when nutrient availability acts as a cue for germination. These can either be stimulatory, as proposed for both nitrate (Luna and Moreno 2009) and phosphate (Bell et al 1993), whose availability increases in the soil after fires and may signal favourable germination conditions, or inhibitory cues, as observed for ammonium and phosphate in clover broomrape seeds (Yoneyama et al 2001). By far, reductions in germination with nutrient addition have largely been attributed to toxicity, especially with respect to added N in the form of ammonia or urea (Bremner 1995), which itself dissociates to release ammonium.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mechanisms invoking microbial activity involve a more indirect role of nutrients. Here, addition of nutrients to a germination medium that is severely nutrient limited stimulates the soil microbial community which then decompose seeds as they provide a rich source of carbon (Bell et al 1993; Chee-Sanford et al…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, the observed trends of delayed germination in nutrient-amended treatments in free-draining soils, which were not manifested in undrained soils, suggest that nutrient addition may result in unfavourable conditions, leading to an arrest of germination. In poorly draining soils, these unfavourable conditions would have persisted for the duration of the experiment, and seed mortality may have occurred indirectly due to other processes, such as decomposition of seeds through fungal or microbial activity (Bell et al 1993;Chee-Sanford et al 2006;Davis 2007) in the moist germination medium. In free-draining soils, nutrient addition would have created similar unfavourable conditions for germination only at the initial stages of the experiment.…”

Section: ; Davis 2007)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of nutrient addition and soil drainage on germination of N-fixing and non-N-fixing tropical dry forest tree species

2016

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To develop generalised predictions regarding the effects of atmospheric nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deposition on vegetation communities, it is necessary to account for the impacts of increased nutrient availability on the early life history stages of plants. Additionally, it is important to determine if these responses (a) differ between plant functional groups and (b) are modulated by soil drainage, which may affect the persistence of added nutrients. We experimentally assessed seed germination responses (germination proportion and germination energy, i.e. time to germination) of commonly occurring N-fixing and non-N-fixing tropical dry forest tree species found in India to simulated N and P deposition in well-drained soils, as well as soils with impeded drainage. When soils were not allowed to drain, germination proportion declined with nutrient addition, while germination energy remained unchanged. Stronger declines in germination proportion were observed for N-fixing species. In free-draining soils, nutrient addition did not affect germination proportion in either functional group. However, we detected a trend of delayed germination with nutrient addition, especially in N-fixers. Our results suggest that nutrient deposition can lead to potential shifts in functional dominance and tree community composition of tropical dry forests in the long term through its effects on early life stages of trees, although the mechanisms underlying the observed germination responses remain unclear. Further, such effects are likely to be spatially variable across the geographic range in which tropical dry forests occur depending on soil drainage properties.

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Seed germination ecology in southwestern Western Australia

Cited by 287 publications

References 94 publications

Using hyperspectral imaging to determine germination of native Australian plant seeds

Using hyperspectral imaging to determine germination of native Australian plant seeds

The influence of seed age on germinative response to the effects of fire in Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus

Effects of nutrient addition and soil drainage on germination of N-fixing and non-N-fixing tropical dry forest tree species

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