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Ample germination ability under wide‐ranging environmental conditions in a common understory tropical palm
Author(s) -
Braz Maria Isabel Guedes,
Ferreira Raquel de Moura,
Portela Rita de Cássia Quitete,
Mattos Eduardo Arcoverde de
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plant species biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1442-1984
pISSN - 0913-557X
DOI - 10.1111/1442-1984.12104
Subject(s) - germination , understory , biome , biology , ecosystem , tropics , habitat , niche , botany , agronomy , horticulture , ecology , canopy
Although palms play an important ecological role in tropical forests, characteristics related to their germinative niche remain largely unknown. We evaluated the seed germination characteristics of G eonoma schottiana , an abundant palm in the understory of different ecosystems of the A tlantic R ain F orest biome and the gallery forests of the C errado biome. We conducted experiments under light and dark conditions at Ψ = 0 MPa , and under two low‐water‐potential conditions and a flooded condition. Seed germination was highest at Ψ = 0 MPa under light (72%) and dark (67%) conditions. We observed moderate (51%) and low (18%) seed germination at Ψ = −0.4 and −0.8 MPa . About 20% of ungerminated seeds subjected to low water potentials for 300 days remained viable. No seeds germinated under flooded conditions; however, 23% of them maintained germinability. A delay in seed germination time was observed at low water potentials and an increase in synchrony occurred at Ψ = −0.8 MPa . G . schottiana seeds did not require specific light conditions to germinate, and the species possesses germinative characteristics to cope with deficit and excess of water. Probably, this wide germination niche allows for its seeds to germinate over a wide range of habitats in different types of ecosystems.