Germination at Extreme Temperatures: Implications for Alpine Shrub Encroachment.

ABSTRACT: Worldwide, shrub cover is increasing across alpine and tundra landscapes in response to warming ambient temperatures and declines in snowpack. With a changing climate, shrub encroachment may rely on recruitment from seed occurring outside of the optimum temperature range. We used a temperature gradient plate in order to determine the germination niche of 14 alpine shrub species. We then related the range in laboratory germination temperatures of each species to long-term average temperature conditions at: (1) the location of the seed accession site and (2) across each species geographic distribution. Seven of the species failed to germinate sufficiently to be included in the analyses. For the other species, the germination niche was broad, spanning a range in temperatures of up to 17 °C, d

SUBMITTER: Venn SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7915672 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature