Dataset Information

Can alpine plant species "bank" on conservation?: Using artificial aging to understand seed longevity.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

To conserve native plants, many institutions are turning toward ex-situ conservation methods, such as storage in seed banks; however, not all seeds are able to survive in seed bank conditions, or may not in the long term. Experimental aging has shown that alpine species lose viability more quickly than low-elevation species. Furthermore, the germination requirements for rare species are largely unknown, but are a necessary first step in understanding storage behavior and viability decline.

Methods

Five alpine species were subjected to germination and accelerated aging experiments to understand their longevity in storage. For the accelerated aging experiment, the seeds were rehydrated in a dark incubator and subsequently placed in a drying oven. Following the aging process, the seeds were placed into previously determined germination conditions.

Results

All species had p ₅₀ values of <13.7 days, which is the threshold to consider a species short lived. These results suggest that we cannot haphazardly store seeds and assume that all species will survive for decades.

Discussion

Accelerated aging experiments are not a perfect measure of seed longevity, and true longevity needs to be empirically determined. However, this experimental method allows us to predict which species may be short lived and whether alternative ex-situ conservation methods might be needed beyond conventional seed banking.

SUBMITTER: Seglias AE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9575086 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Can alpine plant species "bank" on conservation?: Using artificial aging to understand seed longevity.

Seglias Alexandra E AE

Applications in plant sciences 20220930 5

<h4>Premise</h4>To conserve native plants, many institutions are turning toward ex-situ conservation methods, such as storage in seed banks; however, not all seeds are able to survive in seed bank conditions, or may not in the long term. Experimental aging has shown that alpine species lose viability more quickly than low-elevation species. Furthermore, the germination requirements for rare species are largely unknown, but are a necessary first step in understanding storage behavior and viabilit ...[more]

PMID: 36258790

Similar Datasets

Project description:The timing of germination has long been recognized as a key seedling survival strategy for plants in highly variable alpine environments. Seed dormancy and germination mechanisms are important factors that determining the timing of germination. To gain an understanding of how these mechanisms help to synchronize the germination event to the beginning of the growing season in two of the most popular Primula species (P. secundiflora and P. sikkimensis) in the Hengduan Mountains, Southwest China, we explored their seed dormancy and germination characteristics in the laboratory and their soil seed bank type in the field. Germination was first tested using fresh seeds at two alternating temperatures (15/5 and 25/15°C) and five constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C) in light and dark, and again after dry after-ripening at room temperature for 6 months. Germination tests were also conducted at a range of temperatures (5-30, 25/15, and 15/5°C) in light and dark for seeds dry cold stored at 4°C for 4 years, after which they were incubated under the above-mentioned incubation conditions after different periods (4 and 8 weeks) of cold stratification. Base temperatures (T b) and thermal times for 50% germination (θ 50) were calculated. Seeds were buried at the collection site to test persistence in the soil for 5 years. Dry storage improved germination significantly, as compared with fresh seeds, suggesting after-ripening released physiological dormancy (PD); however, it was not sufficient to break dormancy. Cold stratification released PD completely after dry storage, increasing final germination, and widening the temperature range from medium to both high and low; moreover, the T b and θ 50 for germination decreased. Fresh seeds had a light requirement for germination, facilitating formation of a persistent soil seed bank. Although the requirement reduced during treatments for dormancy release or at lower alternating temperatures (15/5°C), a high proportion of viable seeds did not germinate even after 5 years of burial, showing that the seeds of these two species could cycle back to dormancy if the conditions were unfavorable during spring. In this study, fresh seeds of the two Primula species exhibited type 3 non-deep physiological dormancy and required light for germination. After dormancy release, they had a low thermal requirement for germination control, as well as rapid seed germination in spring and at/near the soil surface from the soil seed bank. Such dormancy and germination mechanisms reflect a germination strategy of these two Primula species, adapted to the same alpine environments.

Dataset Information

Can alpine plant species "bank" on conservation?: Using artificial aging to understand seed longevity.

Premise

Methods

Results

Discussion

Publications

Can alpine plant species "bank" on conservation?: Using artificial aging to understand seed longevity.

Similar Datasets

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