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Seed size, shape and persistence in soil: a test on Italian flora from Alps to Mediterranean coasts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Bruno Cerabolini ,
Roberta M. Ceriani ,
Marco Caccianiga ,
Rossella De Andreis  and
Barbara Raimondi
Bruno Cerabolini*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università degli Studi dell' Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese Italy
Roberta M. Ceriani
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università degli Studi dell' Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese Italy
Marco Caccianiga
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia, Sez. Botanica Sistematica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy
Rossella De Andreis
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università degli Studi dell' Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese Italy
Barbara Raimondi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università degli Studi dell' Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese Italy
*
*Correspondence Fax: +39 0332 421554 Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Seed size is a good predictor of seed persistence in soil for British, Argentinean, Iranian and – to some extent – New Zealand species. It has been suggested that seed shape should also be linked to the ease of burial and, thus, to seed persistence, even if some studies failed to show this. The relationship between seed size and shape and persistence in soil was analysed for 259 species of the Italian flora, belonging to a wide range of habitats, from alpine pasture to limestone prairies and meadows of the Prealps, and from woodlands to Mediterranean maquis and garigues. Seed size was related to persistence in soil in the same way as in most other floras examined. Furthermore, seed shape was highly related to persistence in soil among the species analysed, when considered both altogether and divided among the different habitats. Our results suggest that not only seed size, but also seed shape, are key factors in determining seed fate and seed persistence in soil.

Keywords

dormancygrasslandMediterranean scrubseed bankseed massseed shapewoodland
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , March 2003 , pp. 75 - 85
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

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