J 2017

Comparative seed germination traits in alpine and subalpine grasslands: higher elevations are associated with warmer germination temperatures

FERNANDEZ-PASCUAL, E., Francisco De Borja JIMÉNEZ ALFARO GONZÁLEZ and A. BUENO

Basic information

Original name

Comparative seed germination traits in alpine and subalpine grasslands: higher elevations are associated with warmer germination temperatures

Authors

FERNANDEZ-PASCUAL, E. (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Francisco De Borja JIMÉNEZ ALFARO GONZÁLEZ (724 Spain, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and A. BUENO (724 Spain)

Edition

PLANT BIOLOGY, HOBOKEN, NJ USA, WILEY, 2017, 1435-8603

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10611 Plant sciences, botany

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.156

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/17:00100364

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

UT WoS

000389890300005

Keywords in English

Altitude; functional traits; germination temperature; high-mountain flora; phylogenetic comparative methods; phylogenetic generalised least squares; physiological seed dormancy

Tags

Změněno: 30/3/2018 15:14, Ing. Nicole Zrilić

Abstract

V originále

Seed germination traits in alpine grasslands are poorly understood, despite the sensitivity of these communities to climate change. We hypothesise that germination traits predict species occurrence along the alpine-subalpine elevation gradient. Phylogenetic comparative analyses were performed using fresh seeds of 22 species from alpine and subalpine grasslands (1600-2400m) of the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain (43 degrees N, 5 degrees W). Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterise germinability, optimum germination temperature and effect of cold and warm stratification on dormancy breaking. Variability in these traits was reduced by phylogenetic principal component analysis (phyl.PCA). Phylogenetic generalised least squares regression (PGLS) was used to fit a model in which species average elevation was predicted from their position on the PCA axes. Most subalpine species germinated in snow-like conditions, whereas most alpine species needed accumulation of warm temperatures. Phylogenetic signal was low. PCA1 ordered species according to overall germinability, whilst PCA2 ordered them according to preference for warm or cold germination. PCA2 significantly predicted species occurrence in the alpine-subalpine gradient, as higher elevation species tended to have warmer germination preferences. Our results show that germination traits in high-mountain grasslands are closely linked to the alpine-subalpine gradient. Alpine species, especially those from stripped and wind-edge communities, prefer warmer germination niches, suggesting that summer emergence prevents frost damage during seedling establishment. In contrast, alpine snowfield and subalpine grassland plants have cold germination niches, indicating that winter emergence may occur under snow to avoid drought stress.