Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T00:09:00.898Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The applicability of a seed ecological database (SEED) in botanical research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Péter Csontos
Péter Csontos
Affiliation:
Ecological Modelling Research Group, Department of Plant Taxonomy and Ecology, L. Eötvös University, Ludovika tér 2, Budapest, H-1083, Hungary
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This is the first report on the SEed Ecological Database (SEED) being developed under the co-ordination of the author. In its first version the database will cover physical characteristics of seeds, such as: slenderness (length/width), flatness (thickness/width) and thousand-seed weight. The list of species encompasses all seed plants (gymnosperms and angiosperms) native or naturalized in Hungary (about 2450 species). Two examples to demonstrate the power of SEED are included. The significantly lower slenderness values of Hungarian C4 grasses (compared with C3 types), shown in the first example, is a new contribution to understanding the ecology of C4 grasses. In the second example heavier seed weights of shade plants are statistically demonstrated, compared to their heliophilous congeners with the same life forms. The 113 congeneric species pairs considered are derived from a wide range of plant families.

Keywords

databaseheliophilous plantsCentral-European floraseed ecologyseed shapeseed weightshade plants
Type
Ecology
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , March 1998 , pp. 47 - 51
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Borhidi, A (1995) Social behaviour types, the naturalness and relative ecological indicator values of the higher plants in the Hungarian flora. Acta Botanica Hungarica 39, 97–181.Google Scholar
Dobolyi, Z K, Horváth, F, Lőkös, L and Szerdahelyi, T (1994) Database of the Hungarian vascular plants (HUNGPLANT). Studio Botanica Hungarica 25, 85–90. (“HUNGPLANT” was the earlier name of the “FLORA” database.)Google Scholar
Fenner, M (1985) Seed ecology. London, Chapman and Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fenner, M (1986) The allocation of minerals to seeds in Senecio vulgaris plants subjected to nutrient shortage. Journal of Ecology 74, 385–392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodgson, J G, Grime, J P, Hunt, R and Thompson, K (1995) The electronic comparative plant ecology. London, Chapman and Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horváth, F (1990) Informatikai feladatok a hazai botanikában. (In Hu with En summary.) Botanikai Közlemények 77(1–2), 75–78.Google Scholar
Horváth, F, Dobolyi, Z K, Morschhauser, T, Lőokös, L, Karas, L and Szerdahelyi, T (1995a) FLORA adatbázis 1.2 – taxonlista és attribútum-állomány. (FLORA database 1.2 – lists of taxa and relevant attributes.) FLORA munkacsoport, MTA-ÖBKI, MTM Növénytára, Vácrátót.Google Scholar
Horváth, F, Majzik, Zs, Keller Pintér, J and Isépy, I (1995b) On-line CoenoDAT. (Database of floristical records, phytosociological relevés and flora lists.) p 226in Conference Proceedings EN+IN. International Conference on ENvironment and INformatics, Budapest (29 June-1 July, 1995).Google Scholar
Kalapos, T (1991) C3 and C4 grasses of Hungary: environmental requirements, phenology and role in the vegetation. Abstracta Botanica 15, 83–88.Google Scholar
Nakagoshi, N (1985) Buried viable seeds in temperate forests, pp 551–570in White, J (Ed.) The population structure of vegetation.. Dordrecht, Dr. W. Junk Publishers.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajczy, M and Locsmándi, Cs (1994) A Magyar Termé-szettudományi Múzeum makrogomba gyüjteményének számítógépes adatbázisa. (The on-line database of the collection of macroscopic fungi in the Hungarian Natural History Museum.) Mikológiai Közlemények 33(3), 69–71.Google Scholar
Rédei, T, Kovács-Láng, E, Fekete, G, Moskát, Cs, Horváth, F, Tarján, P, Báldi, A, Fuisz, T, Kisbenedek, T, Németh, L and Molnár, A (1995) CORINE Biotopes Project in Hungary. Abstracts of the 7th European Ecological Congress, Budapest, August 20–25, 1995.Google Scholar
Salisbury, E J (1942) The reproductive capacity of plants. London, Bell.Google Scholar
Schermann, Sz (1967) Magismeret I, II. (Handbook of seeds I, II.) Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó.Google Scholar
Soó, R (1964–1980) Synopsis systematico-geobotanica florae vegetationisque Hungariae I-VI. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, (1964): 519 pp., (1966): 655 pp., (1968): 506 pp., (1970): 614 pp., (1973): 723 pp., (1980): 556 pp.Google Scholar
Sváb, J (1981) Biometriai módszerek a kutatásban. (Biometrical methods in research work.) Budapest, Mezőgazdasági Kiadó.Google Scholar
Thompson, K (1987) Seeds and seed banks. New Phytologist 106(suppl.), 23–34.Google Scholar
Thompson, K and Grime, J P (1979) Seasonal variation in the seed banks of herbaceous species in ten contrasting habitats. Journal of Ecology 67, 893–921.Google Scholar
Thompson, K, Band, S and Hodgson, J G (1993) Seed size and shape predict persistence in soil. Functional Ecology 7, 236–241.Google Scholar
Thompson, K, Bakker, J P and Bekker, R M (1997) The soil seed banks of North West Europe: methodology, density and longevity. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar