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Germination ecology of the perennial Centaurium somedanum, a specialist species of mountain springs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 May 2012

Eduardo Fernández-Pascual ,
Borja Jiménez-Alfaro ,
Ana I. García-Torrico ,
Félix Pérez-García  and
Tomás E. Díaz
Eduardo Fernández-Pascual*
Affiliation:
Jardín Botánico Atlántico, Universidad de Oviedo, Avda. del Jardín Botánico 2230, 33394Gijón/Xixón, Spain
Borja Jiménez-Alfaro
Affiliation:
Jardín Botánico Atlántico, Universidad de Oviedo, Avda. del Jardín Botánico 2230, 33394Gijón/Xixón, Spain
Ana I. García-Torrico
Affiliation:
Jardín Botánico Atlántico, Universidad de Oviedo, Avda. del Jardín Botánico 2230, 33394Gijón/Xixón, Spain
Félix Pérez-García
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Vegetal, EUIT Agrícola, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
Tomás E. Díaz
Affiliation:
Jardín Botánico Atlántico, Universidad de Oviedo, Avda. del Jardín Botánico 2230, 33394Gijón/Xixón, Spain
*
*Correspondence Fax: +34 985130685 Email: eduardofp@indurot.uniovi.es
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Abstract

To improve understanding of how a rare endemic species of Centaurium adapts to a specialized ecological niche, we studied the germination ecology of the mountain spring specialist, C. somedanum, a perennial species restricted to an unusual habitat for this genus. We conducted laboratory experiments with fresh seeds collected from two populations for three consecutive years, to investigate: (1) the effect of temperature and light on germination; (2) the existence of seed dormancy; and (3) inter-population and inter-annual variation in germinability. Germination occurred only in the light and at relatively low temperatures (15–22°C) with no differences between constant and alternating regimes, and a significant decrease at high temperatures (25°C and 30°C). We found non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy and variation in seed germinability depending on the year of seed collection. C. somedanum diverged from the common germination characteristics of the genus in: (1) its germination at lower temperatures, which contrasts with what is generally expected in wetland species but could be adaptive in the spring habitat; and (2) its morphophysiological dormancy, which we report here for the first time in the genus and which could be an adaptation to its mountain habitat.

Keywords

CentauriumdormancyendemicGentianaceaegerminationspringswetlands
Type
Research Papers
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 199 - 205
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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