Seed germination and seedling establishment of Neotropical dry forest species in response to temperature and light condi
A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C. Odorata and G. Sanctum seedlings planted on open, partially-open and beneath the canopy of a dry forest in Nicaragua. The results show that germination of C. Candidissimum seeds was significantly higher in light than darkness at constant temperatures ranging from 20–35oC. Both C. Odorata and G. Sanctum seeds germinated in light and darkness to a varying extent, and the optimal germination temperature was around 20-25oC. Alternating temperature regimes did not improve germination. Survival of G. Sanctum seedlings was 70% beneath the canopy and 80% in the open, and its relative growth rate in collar diameter was 1.88 mm/month in the open and 1.42 mm/month in the understory. Survival was generally poor for C. Odorata, particularly in the understory. We concluded that light is an absolute requirement for the germination of C. Candidissimum seeds while germination of C. Odorata and G. Sanctum seeds are more sensitive to temperature. Owing to its high survival rate on open site, G. Sanctum could serve as a candidate species for reforestation of degraded sites.
作 者： Benigno González-Rivas Mulualem Tigabu Guillermo Castro-Marín Per Christer Odén 作者单位： Benigno González-Rivas,Guillermo Castro-Marín(Facultad de Recursos Naturales y del Ambiente. Universidad Nacional Agraria. Managua, Nicaragua. Apartado Postal 453)Mulualem Tigabu,Per Christer Odén(Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, PO Box 101 SE-230 53Alnarp, Sweden)
刊 名： 林业研究（英文版） 英文刊名： JOURNAL OF FORESTRY RESEARCH 年，卷(期)： 2009 20(2) 分类号： S7 关键词： canopy cover seed germination Nicaragua photoblastic seed survival rate restoration Cedrela odorata Guaiacum sanctum Calycophyllum candidissimum