Seed damage tolerance and seedling resprouting ability of Prioria copaifera in Panamá
Germination and seedling resprouting capacity of the very large-seeded tree species Prioria copaifera Griseb (Fabaceae) was studied in the seasonally moist forest of Barro Colorado Island, Panamá. Seeds with 60 per cent of their cotyledonary mass removed did no suffer a reduced probability of germination compared to unmanipulated seeds and seeds infested with up to eight insect larvae germinated as well as uninfested seeds. Unmanipulated seeds were able to consecutively produce up to four functional resprout shoots after excision of the initial, and subsequent, fully expanded shoots. Even seeds with up to 60 per cent of their reserves removed showed some capacity to resprout. Less than 10 per cent of seeds we encountered in the field 2 mo after the end of the fruiting season were in a viable state, with the majority (55 per cent) of mortality attributable to insect or pathogen damage. Of the 46 seeds that were viable, 30 per cent had suffered partial removal of seed reserves similar to our manipulation treatments. These results indicate that P. copaifera seeds are capable of tolerating severe seed and shoot damage. The selective advantage conferred by damage tolerance may in part have contributed to the evolution of large seed size in this species.
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Published: |
1997
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| Subjects: | ARBOLES FORESTALES, SEMILLAS, TAMAÑO DE LA SEMILLA, VIABILIDAD DE SEMILLAS, GERMINACION, PLANTULAS, TALLO, INSECTOS DAÑINOS, PLAGAS FORESTALES, PANAMA, |
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