Seed size and shape are good predictors of seed persistence in soil in temperate mountain grasslands of Argentina

GUILLERMO FUNES; SANDRA BASCONCELO; SANDRA DÍAZ AND MARCELO CABIDO

SEED SCIENCE RESEARCH

CABI Publishing

Lugar: Wallingford UK; Año: 1999 vol. 9 p. 341 - 345

0960-2585

Summary   We tested whether seed mass and shape are good predictors of seed persistence in the soil of subhumid temperate montane grasslands of central Argentina. We plotted seed mass against variance of seed dimensions of 71 herbaceous species, and obtained information on their persistence in the soil from a previous experiment on germinable seed banks. We identified a certain seed mass/shape combination beyond which no seed was persistent in the soil, with the exception of the annual Tagetes minuta. Our results confirmed the patterns previously reported for British species: small and compact seeds tend to persist in the soil for longer time than big and elongated or flattened seeds. We suggest that the value of seed mass and shape as predictors of persistence in the soil can be extended beyond the British flora to herbaceous floras from other humid temperate regions.     Keywords: dormancy, grassland, seed bank, seed mass, seed shape.