Authors
Matthew I Daws, Lora M Crabtree, James W Dalling, Christopher E Mullins, David FRP Burslem
Publication date
2008/12/1
Journal
Annals of Botany
Volume
102
Issue
6
Pages
945-951
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Description
Background and Aims
In neotropical forests, very small-seeded pioneer species (<0·1 mg seed mass) recruit preferentially in small tree fall gaps and at gap edges, but large-seeded pioneers do not. Since water availability is related to gap size, these differences in microsite preference may reflect in part species-specific differences in germination at reduced water potentials.
Methods
For 14 neotropical pioneer species, the hypothesis is tested that small-seeded species, with shallow initial rooting depths, reduce the risks associated with desiccation by germinating more slowly and at higher water potentials than large-seeded species.
Key Results
Germination occurred both more quickly and at lower water potentials with increasing seed mass. For example, Ochroma pyramidale (seed mass 5·5 mg) had a time to 50 % germination (T50) of 2·8 d and a median …
Total citations
Scholar articles
MI Daws, LM Crabtree, JW Dalling, CE Mullins… - Annals of Botany, 2008