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Seed mass and nutrient content in nutrient-starved tropical rainforest in Venezuela

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Peter J. Grubb  and
David A. Coomes
Peter J. Grubb*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
David A. Coomes
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
*
*Correspondence
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Abstract

Mean seed dry mass values were determined for 27 species of trees and shrubs in Amazonian caatinga (a forest-type especially short of nitrogen) and for 11 species in adjacent much taller forest on less poor soil. The tall trees (> 15 m) of caatinga have smaller seeds than the tall trees in adjacent forest on less infertile soil (both overall and in six taxonomically controlled comparisons), and than the tall trees in lowland rainforests elsewhere. The smaller seed size is interpreted in terms of a major advantage of keeping up seed number outweighing the marginal advantages of larger seed size. For trees of caatinga and adjacent forest considered together, there is a significantly greater concentration of P and Mg, and almost significantly greater concentration of N, in the embryo-cum-endosperm fraction of smaller-seeded species, but the content per seed of N, P and Mg is smaller in smaller seeds. The mean contribution of the seed coat (including endocarp for pyrenes) was 17% for dry mass, 3% for content of P, 10% for N and Mg, 15% for K, and 30% for Ca.

Keywords

seed sizemineral nutrientssoil fertilitytropical rainforestcaatinga
Type
Ecology
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , September 1997 , pp. 269 - 280
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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