Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora
Abstract Plant regeneration strategy plays a critical role in species survival and can be used as a proxy for the evolutionary response of species to climate change. However, information on the effects of key plant traits and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination is limited at large regional...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7132 |
| _version_ | 1818614368051396608 |
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| author | JuHong Wang GeXi Xu Wen Chen YanBo Ma Wei Qi ChunHui Zhang XianLiang Cui |
| author_facet | JuHong Wang GeXi Xu Wen Chen YanBo Ma Wei Qi ChunHui Zhang XianLiang Cui |
| author_sort | JuHong Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Plant regeneration strategy plays a critical role in species survival and can be used as a proxy for the evolutionary response of species to climate change. However, information on the effects of key plant traits and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination is limited at large regional scales that vary in climate. To test the hypotheses that phylogenetic niche conservatism plays a critical force in shaping seed ecophysiological traits across species, and also drives their response to climatic fluctuation, we conducted a controlled experiment on seed germination and determined the percentage and rate of germination for 249 species in subtropical China under two temperature regimes (i.e., daily 25°C; daily alternating 25/15°C for each 12 hr). Germination was low with a skewed distribution (mean = 38.9% at 25°C, and 43.3% at 25/15°C). One fifth of the species had low (<10%) and slow (4–30 days) germination, and only a few (8%) species had a high (>80%) and rapid (1.2–6.6 days) germination. All studied plant traits (including germination responses) showed a significant phylogenetic signal, with an exception of seed germination percentage under the alternating temperature scenario. Generalized linear models (GLMs) and phylogenetic generalized estimation equations (GEEs) demonstrated that growth form and seed dispersal mode were strong drivers of germination. Our experimental study highlights that integrating plant key traits and phylogeny is critical to predicting seed germination response to future climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:16:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa2f0def4c8c44e995eddb185df5d9f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:16:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa2f0def4c8c44e995eddb185df5d9f22022-12-21T22:25:03ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-02-011131280129310.1002/ece3.7132Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional floraJuHong Wang0GeXi Xu1Wen Chen2YanBo Ma3Wei Qi4ChunHui Zhang5XianLiang Cui6College of Food Technology and Life Science Hanshan Normal University Chaozhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection Chinese Academy of Forestry Beijing ChinaCollege of Geography and Tourism Management Hanshan Normal University Chaozhou ChinaCollege of Mathematics and Statistics Hanshan Normal University Chaozhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture Qinghai University Xining ChinaCollege of Biology and Chemistry Puer University Puer ChinaAbstract Plant regeneration strategy plays a critical role in species survival and can be used as a proxy for the evolutionary response of species to climate change. However, information on the effects of key plant traits and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination is limited at large regional scales that vary in climate. To test the hypotheses that phylogenetic niche conservatism plays a critical force in shaping seed ecophysiological traits across species, and also drives their response to climatic fluctuation, we conducted a controlled experiment on seed germination and determined the percentage and rate of germination for 249 species in subtropical China under two temperature regimes (i.e., daily 25°C; daily alternating 25/15°C for each 12 hr). Germination was low with a skewed distribution (mean = 38.9% at 25°C, and 43.3% at 25/15°C). One fifth of the species had low (<10%) and slow (4–30 days) germination, and only a few (8%) species had a high (>80%) and rapid (1.2–6.6 days) germination. All studied plant traits (including germination responses) showed a significant phylogenetic signal, with an exception of seed germination percentage under the alternating temperature scenario. Generalized linear models (GLMs) and phylogenetic generalized estimation equations (GEEs) demonstrated that growth form and seed dispersal mode were strong drivers of germination. Our experimental study highlights that integrating plant key traits and phylogeny is critical to predicting seed germination response to future climate change.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7132Chinacontrolled experimentphylogenetic signalseed germination responsesubtropical flora |
| spellingShingle | JuHong Wang GeXi Xu Wen Chen YanBo Ma Wei Qi ChunHui Zhang XianLiang Cui Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora Ecology and Evolution China controlled experiment phylogenetic signal seed germination response subtropical flora |
| title | Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora |
| title_full | Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora |
| title_short | Impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination: A large‐scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora |
| title_sort | impacts of growth form and phylogenetic relatedness on seed germination a large scale analysis of a subtropical regional flora |
| topic | China controlled experiment phylogenetic signal seed germination response subtropical flora |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7132 |
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