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Mamut J, Chen K, Baskin CC, Tan D. Inflated Ovary May Increase the Dispersal Ability of Three Species in the Cold Deserts of Central Asia. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1950. [PMID: 37653867 PMCID: PMC10223576 DOI: 10.3390/plants12101950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Among the diaspores of angiosperms an inflated ovary (IO) is a novel morphological trait, but no studies have evaluated its effects on dispersal. The primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of the IO on diaspore dispersal in three cold desert species (Carex physodes, Calligonum junceum, and Sphaerophysa salsula). Various morphological features and the mass of fruits and seeds of each species were measured. The role of an IO in diaspore dispersal by wind and water was determined by comparing responses of intact (inflated) IOs and flattened fruits and seeds. Mature diaspores of three species were dispersed by wind, and the IO significantly increased dispersal distance in the field and at different wind speeds in the laboratory. The floating time on water was greater for inflated fruits than flattened fruits and seeds. Since the seed remains inside the IO until after dispersal is completed, the IO of the three species enhances diaspore dispersal. This is the first detailed study on how an IO increases diaspore/seed dispersal. Furthermore, after primary dispersal by wind, secondary dispersal can occur via wind or surface runoff of water, and each method is enhanced by the presence of an IO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannathan Mamut
- College of Life Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China; (J.M.); (K.C.); (C.C.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Western Arid Region Grassland Resources and Ecology, College of Grassland Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China
| | - Kewei Chen
- College of Life Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China; (J.M.); (K.C.); (C.C.B.)
| | - Carol C. Baskin
- College of Life Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China; (J.M.); (K.C.); (C.C.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Dunyan Tan
- College of Life Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China; (J.M.); (K.C.); (C.C.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Western Arid Region Grassland Resources and Ecology, College of Grassland Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China
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Gómez-Noguez F, Domínguez-Ugalde C, Flores-Galván C, León-Rossano LM, García BP, Mendoza-Ruiz A, Rosas-Pérez I, Mehltreter K. Terminal velocity of fern and lycopod spores is affected more by mass and ornamentation than by size. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:1221-1229. [PMID: 35903036 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Terminal velocity (Vt) is an important factor for the dispersal of biological particles but has scarcely been studied for anemochorous fern spores, and the influence of spore characteristics on Vt has not been evaluated. Here, we measured the Vt of 1234 spores of 18 fern species and two Selaginella microspores using videoimaging analysis and evaluated the effects of mass, size, and ornamentation on Vt. METHODS We designed a sedimentation tower with a graduated microtelescope attached to a high-speed video camera to record falling particles and measure the Vt of fern spores using video-image processing software. Spores were measured for each species and their size correlated with Vt. RESULTS The Vt of fern spores ranged from 4.7 cm·s-1 (Cyathea costaricensis) to 18.85 cm·s-1 (Acrostichum danaeifolium). The method is accurate and reliable as predicted by Stokes model for glass beads of known density and size. In addition, Vt had a higher correlation coefficient with mass (ρ = 0.72) than size (ρ = 0.20), and ornamental appendages reduced Vt. CONCLUSIONS The reported values of Vt of fern spores are within the range of different biological airborne particles such as moss spores and pollen grains of seed plants. The results showed that spore ornamentation is directly related to Vt rather than spore size and may increase or decrease the drag. This method will aid future aerobiological research on biological particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Gómez-Noguez
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas s/n, Ciudad Universitaria Sur, Chilpancingo de los Bravo, Guerrero, 39086, México
| | - César Domínguez-Ugalde
- Licenciatura en Biología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. Ferrocarril de San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Leyes de Reforma 1ª Sección, Ciudad de México, 09310, México
| | - Catalina Flores-Galván
- Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91073, México
| | - Luis Manuel León-Rossano
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México
| | - Blanca Pérez García
- Área de Botánica Estructural y Sistemática Vegetal, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. Ferrocarril de San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Leyes de Reforma 1ª Sección, Ciudad de México, 09310, México
| | - Aniceto Mendoza-Ruiz
- Área de Botánica Estructural y Sistemática Vegetal, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa. Av. Ferrocarril de San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Leyes de Reforma 1ª Sección, Ciudad de México, 09310, México
| | - Irma Rosas-Pérez
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito exterior s/n, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, México
| | - Klaus Mehltreter
- Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91073, México
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Abstract
Natural regeneration in forest management, which relies on artificial planting, is considered a desirable alternative to reforestation. However, there are large uncertainties regarding the natural regeneration processes, such as seed production, seed dispersal, and seedling establishment. Among these processes, seed dispersal by wind must be modeled accurately to minimize the risks of natural regeneration. This study aimed to (1) review the main mechanisms of seed dispersal models, their characteristics, and their applications and (2) suggest prospects for seed dispersal models to increase the predictability of natural regeneration. With improving computing and observation systems, the modeling technique for seed dispersal by wind has continued to progress steadily from a simple empirical model to the Eulerian-Lagrangian model. Mechanistic modeling approaches with a dispersal kernel have been widely used and have attempted to be directly incorporated into spatial models. Despite the rapid development of various wind-dispersal models, only a few studies have considered their application in natural regeneration. We identified the potential attributes of seed dispersal modeling that cause high uncertainties and poor simulation results in natural regeneration scenarios: topography, pre-processing of wind data, and various inherent complexities in seed dispersal processes. We suggest that seed dispersal models can be further improved by incorporating (1) seed abscission mechanisms by wind, (2) spatiotemporally complex wind environments, (3) collisions with the canopy or ground during seed flight, and (4) secondary dispersal, long-distance dispersal, and seed predation. Interdisciplinary research linking climatology, biophysics, and forestry would help improve the prediction of seed dispersal and its impact on natural regeneration.
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Maternal Environmental Light Conditions Affect the Morphological Allometry and Dispersal Potential of Acer palmatum Samaras. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12101313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Seed dispersal plays critical roles in determining species survival and community structures. Since the dispersal is biologically under maternal control, it is hypothesized that intraspecific variation of dispersal potential and associated traits of seeds (diaspores) should be influenced by maternal habitat quality. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effects of maternal environmental light condition on morphological traits and descending performance of nearly 1800 wind-dispersed samaras collected from maple species Acer palmatum. Results showed that samaras produced by trees from shaded microhabitats had greater dispersal potential, in terms of slower terminal velocity of descent, than those produced in open microhabitats. This advantage was largely attributed to morphological plasticity. On average, samaras produced in shaded microhabitats, as compared to those produced in open habitats, had lower wing loading by only reducing weight but not area. In allometric details, in the large size range, samaras from shaded microhabitats had larger areas than those from open microhabitats; in the small size range, samaras from shaded microhabitats had wider wings. These findings suggest that greater dispersal potential of samaras in response to stressful maternal light environment reflected an active maternal control through the morphological allometry of samaras.
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Song YB, Shen-Tu XL, Dong M. Intraspecific Variation of Samara Dispersal Traits in the Endangered Tropical Tree Hopea hainanensis (Dipterocarpaceae). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:599764. [PMID: 33281856 PMCID: PMC7691252 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.599764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Propagule dispersal is a crucial life history stage, which affects population recruitment and regeneration as well as community structure and functions. The windborne process of samara dispersal is affected not only by samara traits and other plant traits, but also by environmental factors. Therefore, studying samara traits related to its dispersal and intraspecific variation in relation to other plant traits and environmental factors could help to understand population distribution and dynamics. Hopea hainanensis, a Dipterocarpaceae tree species dominant in lowland rainforests in Hainan (China) but endangered due to anthropogenic disturbances, is dispersed mainly by wind because of its sepal-winged samara. Here, we measured dispersal-related intraspecific samara traits of H. hainanensis, and analyzed their variation and correlation in relation to plant height, DBH (diameter at breast height), and elevation plant location. Great variations in the samara traits existed, and the variations were larger within than among individuals, which indicated a "bet-hedging" strategy of this species. Plant height, DBH, and elevation explained slight variation in the samara traits. Samara dispersal potential is mainly affected by the samara mass and morphological traits. Samara settling velocity was significantly positively correlated with fruit mass, seed mass, length and width, as well as samara wing loading, and negatively correlated with wing mass ratio, wing area, and wing aspect ratio. Substantial proportions of intraspecific variation in samara dispersal are explained by the samara mass and morphological traits. Natural regeneration with human-aided dispersal is necessary for recovering the H. hainanensis population. This finding contributes to the generalization of trait-based plant ecology, modeling of seed dispersal in tropical forests, and conservation and recovery of rare and endangered species such as H. hainanensis.
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