Dataset Information

Seed size and capitulum position drive germination and dormancy responses to projected warming for the threatened dune endemic Cirsium pitcheri (Asteraceae).

ABSTRACT: Among coastal plant species at risk from rapid environmental changes is the North American Great Lakes dune endemic Cirsium pitcheri. Despite being listed as federally threatened, little is known about how C. pitcheri seed attributes influence germination and dormancy-break patterns in the context of climate change. Following a previous work where we found differences in the number and weight of C. pitcheri seeds among capitulum positions and study sites, here we examine the effects of seed attributes (capitulum position, seed weight, and site of origin) on the proportion and timing of C. pitcheri seed germination under temperature treatments that simulate projected warming in the Great Lakes (20/10, 25/10, and 30/10°C day/night). Our results demonstrate that C. pitcheri produces diverse cohorts of seeds with seed attributes that significantly influence the timing and probability of germination over a 3-year soil seed bank. Cirsium pitcheri seed germination proportions were highest at 20°C and decreased successively at 25 and 30°C. Seeds from terminal capitula also had higher germination proportions and took longer to germinate than those from secondary capitula. Lastly, the effect of seed weight on germination probability depended on site of origin and capitulum position, with all effects varying in size and significance over time. Ultimately, our results highlight the considerable differences in germination patterns exhibited by seeds from different capitulum positions and sites of origin and provide insight into the dormancy-break patterns that C. pitcheri might experience under predicted temperature rise in the Great Lakes region of North America.

SUBMITTER: Gijsman F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7820163 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Seed size and capitulum position drive germination and dormancy responses to projected warming for the threatened dune endemic Cirsium pitcheri (Asteraceae).

Gijsman Finote F Vitt Pati P

Ecology and evolution 20201221 2

Among coastal plant species at risk from rapid environmental changes is the North American Great Lakes dune endemic Cirsium pitcheri. Despite being listed as federally threatened, little is known about how C. pitcheri seed attributes influence germination and dormancy-break patterns in the context of climate change. Following a previous work where we found differences in the number and weight of C. pitcheri seeds among capitulum positions and study sites, here we examine the ...[more]

PMID: 33520178

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Project description:Background and aimsClimate warming has major impacts on seed germination of several alpine species, hence on their regeneration capacity. Most studies have investigated the effects of warming after seed dispersal, and little is known about the effects a warmer parental environment may have on germination and dormancy of the seed progeny. Nevertheless, temperatures during seed development and maturation could alter the state of dormancy, affecting the timing of emergence and seedling survival. Here, the interplay between pre- and post-dispersal temperatures driving seed dormancy release and germination requirements of alpine plants were investigated.MethodsThree plant species inhabiting alpine snowbeds were exposed to an artificial warming treatment (i.e. +1·5 K) and to natural conditions in the field. Seeds produced were exposed to six different periods of cold stratification (0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 20 weeks at 0 °C), followed by four incubation temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C) for germination testing.Key resultsA warmer parental environment produced either no or a significant increase in germination, depending on the duration of cold stratification, incubation temperatures and their interaction. In contrast, the speed of germination was less sensitive to changes in the parental environment. Moreover, the effects of warming appeared to be linked to the level of (physiological) seed dormancy, with deeper dormant species showing major changes in response to incubation temperatures and less dormant species in response to cold stratification periods.ConclusionsPlants developed under warmer climates will produce seeds with changed germination responses to temperature and/or cold stratification, but the extent of these changes across species could be driven by seed dormancy traits. Transgenerational plastic adjustments of seed germination and dormancy shown here may result from increased seed viability, reduced primary and secondary dormancy state, or both, and may play a crucial role in future plant adaptation to climate change.

Dataset Information

Seed size and capitulum position drive germination and dormancy responses to projected warming for the threatened dune endemic Cirsium pitcheri (Asteraceae).

Publications

Seed size and capitulum position drive germination and dormancy responses to projected warming for the threatened dune endemic <i>Cirsium pitcheri</i> (Asteraceae).

Similar Datasets

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