Abstract
Most forest tree seeds from the humid tropics germinate soon after dispersal forming carpets of semi-dormant seedlings. Delayed germination and enforced dormancy is frequent among light- gap adapted species, some emergent trees and species with hard-coated seeds. Dormancy is more important as an adaptative trait in marked seasonal forests.
The seed bank of the forest soils studied are composed mainly of fast growing pioneer tree seeds and some weed seeds. The dormancy of pioneer trees and other light-gap colonizers is often enforced by light and temperature conditions of forest soil and finishes when a gap is formed.
Much research on seed ecophysiology is needed in order to understand the seed germination regulating mechanisms in tropical forests.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alencar JC (1981) Estudos silviculturais de uma populacâo natural de Copaifera multijuga. Hayne Leguminosae, na Amazonia Central. l - Germinacão, Acta Amazonica 11, 3–11.
Alencar JC and Magalhaes LMS (1979) Poder germinativo de sementes de doze espécies florestàis da regfko de Manaus I, Acta Amazonica 9, 411–418.
Alexandre DY (1977) Régénération naturalle d’un arbre caractéristique de la foret èquatoriale de Côte d’Ivoire, Oecol. Plant. 12, 24–262.
Alexandre DY (1978a) (Observations sur l’écologie de Tréma guineénsis en basse Cote d’Ivoire, Cah. O.R.S.T.O.M. ser. Biol. 13, 261–266.
Alexandre DY (1978b) Le role disseminateur des elephants en forêt de Tai, Cote d’Ivoire, Terre et Vie 32, 47–72.
Alexandre DY (1980) Caractere saisonnier de la fructification dans une foret hygrophile de Côte d’Ivoire, Rev. Ecol. (Terre et Vie) 34, 335–350.
Angevine MW and Chabot BF (1979) Seed germination syndromes in higher plants. In Solbrig, OT, Jain S, Johnson GB and Raven PH, eds. Topics in plant population biology, pp. 188–206. N.Y., Columbia University Press.
Arditti J (1967) Factors affecting the germination of orchid seeds, Bot. Rev. 33, 1–98.
Aubreville A (1947) Les brousses secondaires en afrique èquatoriale, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroun- A.E.F., Bois et Forets Trop. 2, 24–49.
Aubreville A and Leroy JF (1970) Contribution a L’étude biologique d’une Araliaceae d’America tropicale: Didymopanax morototoni Adansonia Ser. 2, 10, 383–407.
Augspurger CK (1979) Irregular rain cues and the germination and seedling survival of Panamanian shrub (Hybanthus prunifolius) Oecologia Berl. 44, 53–59.
Bannister BA (1970) Ecological life cycle of Euterpe globosa Gaertn. In Odum HT, and Pigeon RF, eds. A tropical rain forest, pp. B-299–314. Oak Ridge Tenn. U.S., Atomic Energy Commission.
Bazzaz FA and Pckett STA (1980) Physiological ecology of tropical succession: a comparative review, Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 11, 287–310.
Bell CR (1970) Seed distribution and germination experiment. In Odum HT and Pigeon RF, eds. A tropical rain forest, pp. D-177–182. Oak Ridge Tenn. U.S., Atomic Energy Commission.
Blum KE (1968) Contributions toward an understanding of vegetational development in the Pacific lowlands of Panama, Ph.D. Thesis Fla. State University Tallahassee Fla. 119 p.
Brinkmann WLF and Vieira AN (1971) The effect of burning on germination of seeds at different soil depths of various tropical tree species, Turrialba 21, 77–82.
Budowski G (1965) Distribution of tropical American rain forest species in the light of successional process, Turrialba 15, 40–42.
Campbell U de Araujo (1979) Sobre a germinaçao do mongo (aguano) Swietenia macrophylla King, Acta Amazonica 9, 23–29.
Chai DNP (1973) A note on Parashorea tomentella (Urat mata beledu) Seed and its germination, Malay. Forest. 36, 202–204.
Chamshama SAO and Downs RJ (1982) Germination behavior of Chlorophora excelsa (Welw.) Benth andsign Hook and Podocarpus usambarensis, Pilger, Indian Forest. 108, 397–401.
Cheke AS Nanokorn W and Yankoses C (1979) Dormancy and dispersal of seeds of secondary forest species under the canopy of a primary tropical rain forest in Northern Thailand, Biotropica 11, 88–95.
Coutinho LM and Struffaldi Y (1971) Observacoes sobre a germinaçao das sementes e o crescimiento das plantulas de una leguminosa da mata amazonica de igapo (Parkia auriculata Spruce Mss.), Phyton 28, 149–159.
Defrense S (1982) Principales caractéristiques de la germination des graines e du development des plantules de deux species tropicales Simphonia globulifera L.F. (Guttiferae) et Cedrela odorata L. ( Meliaceae ), Memoire. Universite Pierre et Marie Curie.
Edmiston J (1970) Some autecological studies of Ormosia krugii. In Odum HT and Pigeon RF, eds. A tropical rain forest, pp. B-291–298. Oak Ridge Tenn. U.S., Atomic Energy Commission.
Fasidi IC and Olifonbora MO (1975) Effects of light and herbicides on seed germination of Chlorophora excelsa (Welw Benth), Nigerian J. Forest 5, 9 - 19.
Ferreira SDN (1982) Observacao da germinançao de sementes de Araca-Péra (Psidium acutangulum D.C.), Acta Amazonica 13, 503–507.
Garwood NC (1982) Seasonal rhythm of seed germination in a semideciduous tropical forest. In Leigh EG Rand AS and Windsor DM, eds. The ecology of a tropical forest, pp. 173–185. Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press.
Garwood NC (1983) Seed germination in a seasonal tropical forest in Panama: a community study, Ecol. Monog. (in press).
Gilbert G (1952) Contribution a la biologie des essences forestières congolaises, Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. 84, 289–296.
Guevara S and Gomez-Pompa A (1972) Seeds from surface soils in a tropical region of Veracruz, Mexico, J. Arnold Arbor. 53, 312–335.
Gupta BN and Pattanath PG (1975) Factors affecting germination behavior of teak seeds of eighteen Indian origins, Indian Forest. 101, 583–588.
Hall, JB and Swaine MD (1980) Seed stocks in Ghanian forest soils, Biotropica 12, 256–263.
Holthuijzen AMA and Boerboom JHA (1982) The Cecropia seedbank in the Surinam lowland rain forest, Biotropica 14, 62–68.
Horvitz CC (1981) Analysis of how ant behavior affect germination in a tropical myrmecochore Calathea microcephala (PandsignE). Koernicke (Marantaceae): microsite selection and aril removal by neotropical ants, Odontomachus, Pachycondyla and Solenpsis (Formicidae), Oecologia Berl. 44, 47–52.
Johnson P and Morales R (1972) A review of Cordia alliodora (Ruiz andsign Pav.) Oken, Turrialba 22, 210–220.
Jansen DH (1969) Seed eaters versus seed size, number toxicity and dispersal, Evolution 23, 1–27.
Jansen DH (1971) Seed predation by animals, Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 2, 465–492.
Janzen DH (1974) Tropical blackwater rivers, animals and mast fruiting by the Dipterocarpaceae, Biotropica 6, 69–103.
Janzen DH (1977) Why fruits rot, seeds mold and meat spoils. Amer. Nat. Ill (9801), 619–713.
Janzen DH (1978) Seeding patterns of tropical trees. In Tomlinson PH and Zimmermann MH, eds. Janzen DH, pp. 83–128. Cambridge University Press.
Janzen DH (1981) The defenses of legumes against herbivores. In Rolhill RM and Raven PH, eds. Advances in legumes systematics, pp. 951–977.
Janzen DH (1982) Differential seed survival and passage rates in cows and horses, surrogate pleistocene dispersal agents, Oikos 38, 150–156.
Keay RWJ (1960) Seeds in forest soils, Nigerian Forestry Inf. Bull. (N.S.) 4, 1–4.
Kellman MC (1974) The viable weed seed content of tropical agricultural soils, J. Appl. Ecol. 11, 669–677.
Laboriau LG, Valio IM and Heringer EP (1964) Sobre o sistema reproductive de plantas dos cerrados, Ann. Acad. Brasil. Cien. 36, 449–464.
Lebron ML (1979) An autecological study of Palicourea riparia Bentham as related to rain forest disturbance in Puerto Rico, Oecologia Berl. 42, 31–46.
Leite AMC and Rankin JM (1981) Ecologla de sementes de Pithecolobium racemosum Ducke, Acta Amazonica 11, 309–318.
Liew TC (1973) Occurrence of seeds in virgin forest top soil with particular reference to secondary species in Sabah, Malay. Forest. 36, 185–193.
Macedo M (1977) Dispercao de plantas lenhosas de uma campina amazonica, Acta Amazonica 7, Supp 1–69.
Macedo M and Prance GT (1978) Notes on the vegetation of Amazonian II. The dispersal of plants in Amazonian white sands campinas: The campinas as functional islands, Brittonia 30, 203–215.
Manokaran N (1978) Germination of fresh seeds of malaysian rattans, Malay. Forester 41, 319–324.
Marrero J (1949) Tree seed data from Puerto Rico, Caribb. Forest 10, 11–30.
Maury-Lechon G. Corbineau F and Come D (1980) Données préliminaires sur la germination des graines et la conservation des plantules de Symphonia globulifera L. F. ( Guttifére ), Bois et Forets Tropiq. 193, 35–40.
Maury-Lechon G, Hassan AM and Bravo DR (1981) Seed Storage of Shorea parvifolia and Dipterocarpus humeratus, Malay. Forest. 44, 267–280.
Medina E (1982) Physiological ecology of neotropical savanna plants In Huntley BJ and Walker BH, eds. Ecological studies 42: Ecology of Tropical Savannas, pp. 308–335. Berlin Heidelberg New York, Springer-Verlag.
Moreno-Casasola P (1976) Viabilidad de semillas de ârboles tropicales y templados: una revision bibliogréfica. In Gomez-Pompa A, Vâzquez-Yânes C, Del Amo S, and Butanda A, eds. Regeneracifm de selvas, pp. 471–526. Mexico, Editorial Continental.
Mori T. Zollfatah bin H, Add Rahman and Tan CH (1980) Germination and storage of rattan manau ( Calamus manan) seeds, Malay. Forest. 43, 14–55.
Ng FSP (1973) Germination of fresh seeds of Malaysian Trees, Malay. Forest. 36, 54–65.
Ng FSP (1977) Germination of fresh seeds of Malaysian Trees III, Malay. Forest. 40, 160–163.
Ng FSP (1978) Strategies of establishment in Malayan forest trees. In Tomlinson PB and Zimmermann MH, eds. Ng FSP, pp. 129–162. Cambridge University Press.
Ng FSP (1980) Germination ecology of Malaysian woody plants, Malay. Forest. 43, 406–437.
Ponce de Leon L (1982) L’ecophysiolgie de la germination d’especes forestieres et de savanne, en rapport avec la dynamique de la végétation en Cote d’Ivoire, Bull. Liaison Cher. Lamto, N.S .l, 1–44.
Provost MF (1981) Mise en évidence des graines d’especes pionnières dans le sol de foret primaire en Guyane, Turrialba 31, 121–127.
Quaterman E (1970) Germination of seeds of certain tropical species. In Qdum TH and Pigeon RF, eds. A tropical rain forest, pp. D-173–175. Oak Ridge Tenn. U.S., Atomic Energy Commission.
Ramirez WB (1976) Germination of new world uvostigma Ficus, Rev. Biol. Trop. 24, 1–6.
Richards PW (1952) The tropical rain forest, Cambridge at the University Press.
Sasaki S (1980a) Storage and germination of some Malaysian legume seeds, Malay. Forest. 43, 161–165.
Sasaki S (1980b) Storage and germination of Dipterocarp seeds, Malay. Forest. 43, 290–308.
Sasaki S and Ng FSP (1981) Physiological studies on germination and seedling development In Intsia palembanica (Merbau), Malay. Forest. 44, 43–59.
Sasaki S, Tan CH and Zolfatah bin H (1979) Some observations on unusual flowering and fruiting of Dipterocarps, Malay. Forest. 42, 38–45.
Symington CF (1933) The study of secondary growth on rain forest sites in Malaya, Malay. Forest. 2, 107–117.
Tang HT (1971) Preliminary tests on the storage and collection of some Shorea species seeds, Malay. Forest 34, 84–98.
Tang HT and Tamari C (1973) Seed description and storage tests of some dipterocarps, Malay. Forest. 36, 38–53.
Valio IFM and Joly CA (1979) Light sensitivity of the seeds on the distribution of Cecropia glaziovi Snethlage (Moraceae), Z. Pflanzenphysiol. Bol. 915, 371–376.
Vázquez-Yánes C (1974) Studies on the germination of seeds of Qchroma lagopus Swartz, Turrialba 24, 176–179.
Vázquez-Yánes C (1976a) Seed dormancy and germination in secondary vegetation tropical plants: The role of light, Comp. Physiol. Ecol. 1, 30–34.
Vázquez-Yánes C (1976b) Estudios sobre ecofisiologla de la germinación en una zona cálido-húmeda de México. In Gandsignmez-Pompa A, Vázquez-Yánes C, Del Amo S, and Butanda A, eds. Regeneración de selvas, pp. 279–387. México, Editorial Continental.
Vázquez-Yánes C (1977) Germination of a pioneer tree (Trema guineensis Ficahlo, from equatorial Africa, Turrialba 27 (3), 301–302.
Vázquez-Yánes C (1980a) Notas sobre la autecologla de los árboles pioneros de rápido crecimiento de la selva tropical lluviosa, Trop. Ecol. 21, 103–112.
Vázquez-Yánes C (1980b) Light quality and seed germination in Cecropia obtusifolia and Piper auritum from tropical rain forest in Mexico, Phyton 38, 33–35.
Vázquez-Yánes C and Pérez-Garda B (1976) Notas sobre la morfologia y la anatomía de la testa de las semillas de Ochroma lagopus Sw, Turrialba 26, 310–311.
Vázquez-Yánes C and Orozco Segovia A (1982) Seed germination of a tropical rain forest pioneer tree (Heliocarpus donellsmithii) in response to diurnal fluctuations of temperature, Physiol. Plant. 56, 295–298.
Vázquez-Yánes C and Orozco-Segovia A (1982) Germination of the seeds of a tropical rain forest shrub, Piper hispidum Sw (Piperaceae (under different light qualities, Phyton 42, 143–149.
Vázquez-Yánes C and Smith H (1982) Phytochrome control of seed germination in the tropical rain forest pioneer trees Cecropia obtusifolia and Piper auritum and its ecological significance, New Phytol. 92, 477–485.
Vega ECF, Patino V and Rodrlquez P (1981) Viabilidad de semillas en 72 especies forestales tropicales almacenadas al medio ambiente. pp. 325–345 In Reunion sobre problemas de semillas forestales tropicales, Tomo I. Pub. Inst. Nal. Invest. Forest. Mexico No. 35.
Wellam FL (1964) Parasitism among neotropical phanerogams, Ann. Rev. Phytol. 2, 43–56.
Whitmore TC (1975) Tropical rain forest of the far east, Oxford Claredon Press.
Yap SK (1980) Jelutong, phenology, fruit and seed biology, Malay. Forest. 43, 309–315.
Yap SK (1981) Collection, germination and storage of dipterocarp seeds Malay. Forest. 44, 281–300.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Vazquez-Yanes, C., Orozco Segovia, A. (1984). Ecophysiology of Seed Germination in the Tropical Humid Forests of the World: A Review. In: Medina, E., Mooney, H.A., Vázquez-Yánes, C. (eds) Physiological ecology of plants of the wet tropics. Tasks for vegetation Science, vol 12. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7299-5_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7299-5_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-7301-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-7299-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive