ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3250-6861
Current Organisations
University of Western Australia
,
Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Environmental Science and Management | Conservation and Biodiversity | Environmental Rehabilitation (excl. Bioremediation) | Plant Biology | Plant Biology not elsewhere classified | Ecology | Natural Products Chemistry | Physiology | Environmental Technologies | Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Population Ecology | Comparative Physiology | Plant Physiology | Plant Physiology | Invasive Species Ecology | Landscape Ecology | Natural Resource Management | Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified | Ecological Physiology
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity at Regional or Larger Scales | Rehabilitation of Degraded Mining Environments | Education and Training Systems not elsewhere classified | Plant Production and Plant Primary Products not elsewhere classified | Field crops | Rehabilitation of Degraded Environments not elsewhere classified | Environmentally Sustainable Mineral Resource Activities not elsewhere classified | Rehabilitation of Degraded Forest and Woodlands Environments | Rehabilitation of Degraded Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Environments | Rehabilitation of Degraded Coastal and Estuarine Environments | Expanding Knowledge in the Chemical Sciences | Mining Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
Related Links
Publications
Effects of a butenolide present in smoke on light-mediated germination of Australian Asteraceae
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 03-2006
DOI: 10.1079/SSR2005232
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of 3-methyl-2 H -furo[2,3- c ]pyran-2-one, a germination active butenolide present in plant-derived smoke, gibberellic acid and smoke water on seeds of Australian Asteraceae exposed to different light regimes. Seeds of all species required light, with maximum germination occurring under white light, or light dominated by 640 nm. Compared to untreated seeds, butenolide increased germination of Angianthus tomentosus , Gnephosis tenuissima , Myriocephalus guerinae , Podolepis canescens and Rhodanthe citrina at suboptimal light wavelengths and in the dark to a level equal to, or greater than, smoke water. Germination of Erymophyllum glossanthus and Gnephosis acicularis was not promoted by butenolide or smoke water under any light regime. The action of gibberellic acid was compared to that of butenolide for three species ( Angianthus tomentosus , Myriocephalus guerinae and Podolepis canescens ), and both compounds were found to stimulate germination. This study provides evidence that butenolide can act in a similar fashion as gibberellic acid in promoting seed germination of light-sensitive seeds. The ecological significance of these findings is discussed.
Putting provenance into perspective: the relative importance of restoration site conditions over seed sourcing
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-08-2023
DOI: 10.1111/REC.13989
Abstract: Post‐mining scenarios present challenges for restoration in a wide range of environments, especially in the context of climate change. The source of seed for restoration has been an issue of intense focus, as seed provenance can impact plant fitness and restoration outcomes. However, post‐mining landscapes require substrate reconstruction prior to vegetation re‐establishment. Critically, the relative importance of provenance and substrate in ecosystem recovery has been rarely quantified in a statistically rigorous framework. We established a large provenance trial with Banksia attenuata and Eucalyptus todtiana at two Western Australian mine sites in post‐mining reconstructed and adjoining un‐mined substrates. We show that site and substrate were 4 and 26 times more important than provenance in explaining survival for B. attenuata and E. todtiana , respectively. At one site, there was 100% mortality in the post‐mining substrate but high survival and no clear provenance effect in the un‐mined substrate. At the second site, there was again no clear provenance effect, but E. todtiana survival was higher in the post‐mining than un‐mined substrate. Our results show that post‐mining substrate changes can overwhelm provenance issues. Consequently, where substrates are highly impacted, alternative restoration targets and/or greater investment in substrate research are needed to improve restoration outcomes. Due to the thousands of mines across the world, this is an internationally relevant finding with important implications for investment into global ecosystem recovery.
A continental-scale study of seed lifespan in experimental storage examining seed, plant, and environmental traits associated with longevity
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-03-2014
A global review of seed enhancement technology use to inform improved applications in restoration
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
The role of after-ripening in promoting germination of arid zone seeds: a study on six Australian species
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-2009
Implication of Mesoproterozoic (∼1.4 Ga) magmatism within microcontinents along the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2019
Seed traits inform the germination niche for biodiverse ecological restoration
Publisher: International Seed Testing Association
Date: 17-10-2022
DOI: 10.15258/SST.2022.50.1.S.06
Abstract: Seeds are a primary source for generating plants for large-scale restoration and understanding the requirements for seed germination and establishment is fundamental to ecological restoration. Seed germination traits are central to defining the germination niche and identifying traits that may limit seedling establishment provides insights into how seeds may interact with the abiotic environment and the soil substrates specific to each restoration site and informs seed management practices. In this paper we review seed trait data derived from research to improve restoration practice across erse ecosystems within Western Australia. We compile and evaluate seed trait data for up to 300 seed collections of 287 species that are used in restoration programmes to identify species, lifeform, and region-specific variation in seed dormancy, maximum germination, germination speed, base water potential, and germination niche breadth. Through a synthesis of this data, we outline our ecologically-guided approach to identifying key seed traits that support plant regeneration to improve the success of seed-based restoration across the bio erse Western Australian landscape.
Seed germination of agricultural weeds is promoted by the butenolide 3-methyl-2H-furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-one under laboratory and field conditions
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-08-2007
Seed dormancy and germination stimulation syndromes for Australian temperate species
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1071/BT06106
Abstract: Understanding seed germination biology and the dynamics of seed dormancy is essential to developing reliable germination techniques. This paper presents some new data and reviews recent findings from germination studies on Australian species, with respect to the role of temperature and moisture in the control of dormancy and germination. A seed-burial experiment was conducted over a 1-year period (January–December) with seeds of Acanthocarpus preissii Lehm., Astroloma xerophyllum (DC.) Sond., Gahnia grandis (Labill.) S.T.Blake, Goodenia scaevolina F.Muell. and Tersonia cyathiflora (Fenzl) J.W.Green to determine the fluctuations in temperature and moisture seeds naturally experience in the buried environment. All seeds became hydrated during autumn (March) while soil temperatures were °C, suggestive of a period of warm stratification before the onset of cooler winter temperatures appropriate for germination. Evidence of rapid wetting and drying of seeds in the soil environment was also present. Laboratory experiments testing stratification as a means for dormancy loss showed that several weeks of warm stratification at 26/13°C or 33/18°C promoted germination of Lomandra preissii (Endl.) Ewart, Marianthus bicolor (Putt.) F.Muell. and Xyris lanata R.Br. seeds. X. lanata seeds also responded to several weeks of cold stratification at 5°C. By integrating this new data with other published data on germination of Australian species, diagrammatic models of germination timing, dormancy syndromes and propagation strategies for temperate Australian species are presented as working hypotheses to help direct future research.
Biodiversity responses to vegetation structure in a fragmented landscape: ant communities in a peri-urban coastal dune system
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2016
Flash flaming is a valid seed enhancement for a diverse range of species and seed morphologies
Publisher: International Seed Testing Association
Date: 31-12-2022
DOI: 10.15258/SST.2022.50.3.10
Abstract: Flash flaming has shown promise as a seed enhancement technology that improves the handling properties of bulky or irregularly shaped seed material, which in turn benefits logistical and ecological aspects of large-scale direct seeding. To date, only a small number of grass species, that possess similar morphological characteristics, have been tested. This paper describes the application of flash flaming to diaspores (i.e. the dispersal unit comprising the seed and any surrounding or attached tissues) of 19 erse dryland species from the Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae critical to ecological restoration in the mining intensive Pilbara region of Western Australia. Flash flaming parameters for each species were tested to identify and maximise volume and mass reduction, reduce particle cohesiveness and maximise flow through a mechanical seeding device, whilst maximising germination. Flaming of all species resulted in reductions in batch volume and mass, and improvements to flow characteristics. For 17 species, flaming either benefited or did not impact on germinability. For two species in the Amaranthaceae, flaming with the settings tested here resulted in a reduction in germinability however, flaming enabled the diaspores to pass through a mechanical seeding device enabling mechanical distribution which is critical if the species are to be used in large scale restoration.
Dormancy release in Australian fire ephemeral seeds during burial increases germination response to smoke water or heat
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-2005
DOI: 10.1079/SSR2005222
Abstract: Fire ephemerals are short-lived plants that primarily germinate after fire. Fresh and laboratory-stored seeds are difficult to germinate ex situ , even in response to fire-related cues such as heat and smoke. Seeds of eight Australian fire ephemeral species were buried in unburnt and recently burnt sites of natural bushland during autumn. Seeds were exhumed after 6 and 12 months and incubated in water and smoke water, either with or without a heat treatment at 70°C for 1 h. Generally, germination did not increase after 6 months of burial, but after 12 months of burial germination was enhanced in seven of the eight species. Actinotus leucocephalus produced higher germination following 12 months of burial without any further treatment, and smoke water and heat further improved germination. The four Gyrostemonaceae species, Codonocarpus cotinifolius , Gyrostemon racemiger , Gyrostemon ramulosus and Tersonia cyathiflora , only germinated in the presence of smoke water, and their germination was enhanced by burial. Burial improved germination in response to a heat treatment in Grevillea scapigera and Alyogyne huegelii seeds, but did not enhance Alyogyne hakeifolia germination. During concurrent dry laboratory storage of seeds at 15°C, only Actinotus leucocephalus produced increased germination in response to smoke water and heat over time. In summary, soil burial can alter the dormancy status of a number of Australian fire ephemeral seeds, rendering them more responsive to germination cues such as smoke water and heat. The requirement for a period of burial before seeds become responsive to smoke and/or heat would ensure that seeds persist in the soil until a subsequent fire, when there is an increase in nutrients available for growth and reduced competition from other plants.
Defining the role of fire in alleviating seed dormancy in a rare Mediterranean endemic subshrub
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 29-07-2017
Seed dormancy and germination of Halophila ovalis mediated by simulated seasonal temperature changes
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
Soil quality indicators to assess functionality of restored soils in degraded semiarid ecosystems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-05-2016
DOI: 10.1111/REC.12368
The Changing Window of Conditions that Promotes Germination of Two Fire Ephemerals, Actinotus leucocephalus (Apiaceae) and Tersonia cyathiflora (Gyrostemonaceae)
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-09-2005
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCI274
Comparative longevity of Australian orchid (Orchidaceae) seeds under experimental and low temperature storage conditions
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-09-2010
Buoyancy, salt tolerance and germination of coastal seeds: implications for oceanic hydrochorous dispersal
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/FP10166
Abstract: Many coastal plant species are widely distributed, including several pan-global species. Long-distance dispersal and physiological resilience of diaspores (i.e. the plant dispersal unit encompassing the seed and any additional surrounding or attached tissues at dispersal) to adverse environmental conditions are possible contributors to the presence of species over hundreds of kilometres of coastline. Dispersal by water (hydrochory) may occur in coastal habitats. This study investigated diaspore traits considered important for oceanic hydrochorous dispersal, including morphology, buoyancy and survival in seawater, and germination under saline conditions for 13 species common to Holocene dune communities in Western Australia. Of the diaspores of 13 species dominant in this coastal community, 11 floated in seawater, with 7 having % of diaspores buoyant after 14 days and some diaspores remaining buoyant for 70 days. Of the 10 species that germinated, diaspores of 9 survived exposure to seawater for up to 70 days. Germination of physiologically dormant seeds contained within indehiscent woody fruits and physically dormant seeds was least affected by time in seawater. The effects of varying concentrations of NaCl (0–500 mM) on germination differed between species, but most were able to recover and germinate when transferred to non-saline water. Three different patterns of salt response were observed. It appears likely a combination of diaspore traits, rather than a single factor, facilitate oceanic hydrochorous dispersal.
Dormancy, germination and seed bank storage: a study in support of ex situ conservation of macrophytes of southwest Australian temporary pools
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-04-2010
Vegetation patterns and hydro‐geological drivers of freshwater rock pool communities in the monsoon‐tropical Kimberley region, Western Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1111/JVS.12318
Seed production areas for the global restoration challenge
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-09-2016
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.2455
Karrikins: A new family of plant growth regulators in smoke
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2009
Factoring restoration practitioner perceptions into future design of mechanical direct seeders for native seeds
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-07-2019
DOI: 10.1111/REC.13001
Seed germination of the carnivorous plantByblis gigantea(Byblidaceae) is cued by warm stratification and karrikinolide
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-08-2013
DOI: 10.1111/BOJ.12075
Full spectrum X-ray mapping reveals differential localization of salt in germinating seeds of differing salt tolerance
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-08-2013
DOI: 10.1111/BOJ.12072
Mechanisms of Fire Seasonality Effects on Plant Populations
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.TREE.2019.07.009
Abstract: Altered fire regimes resulting from climate change and human activity threaten many terrestrial ecosystems. However, we lack a holistic and detailed understanding of the effects of altering one key fire regime component - season of fire. Altered fire seasonality can strongly affect post-fire recovery of plant populations through interactions with plant phenology. We identify seven key mechanisms of fire seasonality effects under a conceptual demographic framework and review evidence for these. We reveal negative impacts of altered fire seasonality and identify research gaps for mechanisms and climate types for future analyses of fire seasonality effects within the identified demographic framework. This framework and these mechanisms can inform critical decisions for conservation, land management, and fire management policy development globally.
Setting the scene for dryland recovery: an overview and key findings from a workshop targeting seed‐based restoration
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-06-2016
DOI: 10.1111/REC.12392
Engineering restoration for the future
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Water sorption characteristics of seeds of four Western Australian species
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2003
DOI: 10.1071/BT02040
Abstract: The relationship between storage temperature, relative humidity and seed water content was investigated for four species native to Western Australia: Acacia bivenosa DC., Anigozanthos manglesii D.Don., Banksia ashbyi E.G.Baker and Mesomelaena tetragona (R.Br.) Benth. Water sorption isotherms were constructed at 5, 23 and 50�C and the enthalpy of water sorption was calculated by van�t Hoff analysis. Seeds of three species, A. manglesii, B.�ashbyi and M. tetragona, showed a sigmoidal relationship between seed water content and relative humidity. Intact seeds of Acacia bivenosa maintained a constant water content at temperatures of 23�C or less due to the impermeable seed coat however, isotherms of scarified seeds were similar in shape to those of the other species at all temperatures. The enthalpy of water sorption ranged from –19 kJ mol–1 for M. tetragona seeds to –29 kJ mol–1 for B. ashbyi seeds and was dependent on water content. However, all species had a maximum sorption strength at 2–6% water content and three regions of water-binding strength were evident. Each of these species has water sorption characteristics consistent with orthodox storage behaviour and the results of this study provide a framework for improving seed storage methods for the highly erse Western Australian flora.
Seeds of Brassicaceae weeds have an inherent or inducible response to the germination stimulant karrikinolide
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-08-2011
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCR198
Dispersal potential of Scaevola crassifolia (Goodeniaceae) is influenced by intraspecific variation in fruit morphology along a latitudinal environmental gradient
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1071/BT13290
Abstract: Dispersal of plant propagules by ocean currents can result in long-distance dispersal and is important for the persistence of coastal species. However, the ability of such species to disperse via the ocean is often unknown because there is relatively little evidence that demonstrates that seeds or fruits can float and survive for extended periods in seawater. Furthermore, the seed or fruit traits, and intraspecific variation in these traits, that facilitate buoyancy remain largely unidentified. The genus Scaevola (L.) contains several widespread coastal species that may be capable of oceanic dispersal, such as S. crassifolia (Labill). We collected fruits of S. crassifolia along 700 km of a latitudinal environmental gradient. These fruits were used to determine the influence of fruit morphology and anatomy on fruit buoyancy. Morphological and anatomical variation in S. crassifolia was associated with dispersal potential. Our empirical data demonstrated that fruits with larger aeriferous mesocarp layers have greater buoyancy and, therefore, enhanced capacity for long range oceanic dispersal. Of three characters hypothesised to affect buoyancy (aeriferous mesocarp, air pockets in empty locules, and number of vascular cavities), only the properties of the mesocarp were significant. Intraspecific variation can significantly affect dispersal potential, and should not be overlooked in dispersal ecology.
Seed storage behaviour of tropical members of the aquatic basal angiosperm genus Nymphaea L. (Nymphaeaceae)
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 2019
Morphophysiological dormancy in the basal angiosperm order Nymphaeales
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-07-2019
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCY142
Combinational dormancy in seeds of the Western Australian endemic species Diplopeltis huegelii (Sapindaceae)
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1071/BT05156
Abstract: Seeds of the endemic Western Australian species Diplopeltis huegelii Endl. were successfully germinated after the presence of combinational dormancy was identified, following the observation of selected seed characteristics. D. huegelii seeds were found to have large, fully developed, peripheral coiled embryos (with no endosperm) that are 7–8 mm long when uncoiled. Seed-coat dormancy was overcome by dipping seeds in hot water for ≥15 s, but seeds also required a period of after-ripening before they would germinate readily. After-ripening occurred while intact seeds were stored dry at ambient laboratory conditions for 13 months or when scarified (hot-water treated) seeds were stored at 13, 23 or 50% RH at 23°C for 6 weeks. Scarified 13-month-old seeds germinated readily at 7/18, 13/26 and 18/33°C in a 12-h photoperiod and in constant darkness, whereas scarified 1-month-old seeds germinated to ≤43%. Thus, seed dormancy in this species is caused by a water-impermeable seed coat (physical dormancy, PY) and a (non-deep) physiologically dormant embryo (PD), i.e. combinational dormancy (PY + PD). This is only the second report of combinational dormancy in seeds of Sapindaceae and the first report in this family of the PD component of (PY + PD) being broken during dry storage.
Optimising seed broadcasting and greenstock planting for restoration in the Australian arid zone
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Native plant diversity is a stronger driver for soil quality than inorganic amendments in semi-arid post-mining rehabilitation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2021
Temporal dynamics of seedling emergence among four fire ephemerals: the interplay of after-ripening and embryo growth with smoke
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S0960258519000084
Abstract: The flora of Mediterranean ecosystems contains families with species having fully and under-developed embryos in their seeds. After-ripening for physiological dormancy release and smoke influence germination in many species. We investigated how after-ripening and embryo growth interact with smoke to influence the temporal dynamics of seedling emergence among fire ephemerals. Seeds were placed in the field and under standardized (50% relative humidity, 30°C) laboratory conditions to test the effects of summer conditions on physiological dormancy loss. Germination was tested with water or smoke compounds (smoke water, KAR 1 ) at a simulated autumn/winter temperature (18/7°C). The timing and amount of seedling emergence with smoke was observed for seeds exposed to near-natural conditions. During summer, physiological dormancy was broken in all species, enabling germination at autumn/winter but not summer temperatures no embryo growth occurred in seeds with under-developed embryos. At the start of the wet season, seedling emergence from seeds with fully developed embryos occurred earlier than from seeds with under-developed embryos. In a non-consistent manner among our study species, smoke and smoke compounds influenced the rate of embryo growth and amount of germination. Effects of smoke were noticeable in terms of number of emergents in the first emergence season. Among ecologically similar species, we have shown (1) that both thermal and embryo traits exclude germination in the summer, (2) how embryo size influences the timing of seedling emergence in autumn–winter, and (3) a reduced requirement for smoke in the second emergence season after a fire with a shift to reliance on seasonal cues for emergence.
Ex situ Conservation and Cryopreservation of Orchid Germplasm
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1086/673370
Seed traits determine species' responses to fire under varying soil heating scenarios
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-07-2020
Seed germination traits of desert perennials
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-07-2017
Ex situ germplasm collections of exceptional species are a vital part of the conservation of Australia's national plant treasures
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-09-2023
DOI: 10.1002/PPP3.10421
Physical dormancy in seeds of six genera of Australian Rhamnaceae
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 03-2005
DOI: 10.1079/SSR2004197
Abstract: Physical dormancy (PY) was identified in six genera representative of Australian Rhamnaceae and subsequently was broken, based on identification of key seed dormancy characteristics: (1) isolation and classification of embryo features (2) imbibition experiments to determine the rate and amount of water uptake in seeds and (3) determination of optimum temperature regimes for germination. All six species had relatively large spatulate embryos. Imbibition studies showed all species possessed PY (i.e. a water-impervious seed coat) that was broken by a hot-water treatment. Alleviation of PY resulted in high germination ( %) at 7/18°C, temperatures similar to winter in south-west Western Australia. Germination was suppressed at higher temperatures and in the presence of light. The study adds information to our knowledge of seed dormancy in Australian Rhamnaceae , and highlights the benefits of understanding dormancy states in seeds prior to evaluating dormancy-release mechanisms on wild species used in restoration ecology and horticulture.
Soil physicochemical and microbiological indicators of short, medium and long term post-fire recovery in semi-arid ecosystems
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
Seed biology of Australian arid zone species: Germination of 18 species used for rehabilitation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2009
Sympatric species of Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae) vary in dormancy break and germination requirements: implications for classifying morphophysiological dormancy in Mediterranean biomes
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-02-2012
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCS034
Flash flaming effectively removes appendages and improves the seed coating potential of grass florets
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-05-2016
DOI: 10.1111/REC.12386
Seed moisture content as a primary trait regulating the lethal temperature thresholds of seeds
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-12-2019
Fire Seasonality Mechanisms Are Fundamental for Understanding Broader Fire Regime Effects
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Seed-dormancy depth is partitioned more strongly among habitats than among species in tropical ephemerals
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/BT17244
Abstract: Seed biology in the annual herbaceous flora of ecologically stressful, seasonally wet habitats remains largely unexplored. Temporal and spatial species turnover among these habitats is often high, yet little is known about how fine-scale habitat variation drives intraspecific variability in seed dormancy depth and seed germination requirements. The present study characterised seed dormancy and investigated the germination biology of six closely related herbaceous annual species of Byblis from northern Australia. We assessed variation in the response of seeds of all species to temperature cues, as well as light and the naturally occurring germination stimulants karrikinolide (KAR1) and ethylene. We also examined intraspecific variation in germination response and seed-dormancy depth for three widely distributed species with overlapping distribution occurring in habitats with differing soil thermal and hydrological conditions. Seed germination in all six species was significantly increased by exposure to either KAR1 or ethylene, with this effect being lified in two species (B. filifolia and B. rorida) following a period of warm, dry after-ripening. Seed-dormancy depth and the germination response of seeds to both KAR1 and ethylene were partitioned more strongly among habitats than among species. Populations on shallow ( -cm soil depth) sandy soils produced less dormant seeds than did populations of the same species on deeper sandy soils (40+ cm) or on heavy cracking clays. The upper soil profile of shallow soil habitats was exposed to higher average temperatures, greater diurnal temperature fluctuation and greatly reduced moisture persistence compared with deeper soils. Fine-scale differences in the thermal and hydrological conditions of seasonally wet habitats appear to be strong drivers of dormancy depth in seeds of tropical Byblis. Widely distributed species exhibit high levels of plasticity in seed-dormancy depth and germination response among different habitats, with similar responses being observed for sympatric species. So as to fully understand species turnover in tropical ephemerals, future studies should examine phenotypic plasticity and the rate of local adaptation of seed traits in greater detail.
Water availability drives the effectiveness of inorganic amendments to increase plant growth and substrate quality
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2019
Climate‐Dependent Heat‐Triggered Opening Mechanism of Banksia Seed Pods
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-12-2017
Seed germination of Solanum spp. (Solanaceae) for use in rehabilitation and commercial industries
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1071/BT07209
Abstract: Effective methods for propagation of native Solanum species are required for mine rehabilitation and the native food industry in Australia. This study investigated seed germination of eight native Solanum species with respect to incubation temperature and the efficacy of germination-promoting compounds gibberellic acid (GA3), the butenolide isolated from smoke (karrikinolide, KAR1) and smoke water (SW). Seeds of all species were tested under a temperature regime of 26/13°C or 33/18°C. In these conditions, seeds of only two species, S. cunninghamii Benth. and S. phlomoides Benth. germinated to high levels without treatment. Of the remaining six species, GA3 alone promoted germination in S. chippendalei Symon, S. ersiflorum F.Muell. and S. sturtianum F.Muell., whereas GA3, KAR1 and SW were effective at promoting germination of S. centrale J.M.Black, S. dioicum W.Fitzg. and S. orbiculatum Dunal ex Poir. to varying degrees. Additional incubation temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C) were examined for S. centrale and S. orbiculatum. For both species, broadly similar patterns were noted in the response of seeds to GA3, KAR1 and SW across all temperatures. However, for S. centrale seeds, germination percentages were higher at 26/13°C than at any of the constant temperatures, and there was a trend of increasing germination with increasing constant temperature for S. orbiculatum seeds. Analysis of seed embryo type and imbibition characteristics and consideration of the subsequent germination results indicates that dormant Solanum seeds possess physiological dormancy.
Unpacking the recruitment potential of seeds in reconstructed soils and varying rainfall patterns
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1071/BT22141
Seed moisture content affects afterripening and smoke responsiveness in three sympatric Australian native species from fire‐prone environments
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-11-2009
Biogenic ethylene promotes seedling emergence from the sediment seed bank in an ephemeral tropical rock pool habitat
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-03-2014
Karrikin and Cyanohydrin Smoke Signals Provide Clues to New Endogenous Plant Signalling Compounds
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1093/MP/SSS132
Abstract: Two new types of signaling compounds have been discovered in wildfire smoke due to their ability to stimulate seed germination. The first discovered were karrikins, which share some structural similarity with the strigolactone class of plant hormones, and both signal through a common F-box protein. However, karrikins and strigolactones operate through otherwise distinct signaling pathways, each distinguished by a specific α/β hydrolase protein. Genetic analysis suggests that plants contain endogenous compounds that signal specifically through the karrikin pathway. The other active compounds discovered in smoke are cyanohydrins that release germination-stimulating cyanide upon hydrolysis. Cyanohydrins occur widely in plants and have a role in defense against other organisms, but an additional role in endogenous cyanide signaling should also now be considered.
Alleviation of morphophysiological dormancy in seeds of the Australian arid-zone endemic shrub, Hibbertia glaberrima F. Muell. (Dilleniaceae)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-11-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S0960258518000363
Abstract: Morphophysiological dormancy (MPD) is predominantly found in seeds of temperate regions and is uncommon in arid biomes. MPD has been reported in a number of Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae) species of temperate Australia, and in a single species of the arid zone, H. glaberrima . This study aimed to examine the dormancy and germination ecology of seeds of H. glaberrima. Seeds were subjected to temperature stratification treatments designed to mimic summer and autumn conditions in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Seed germination and embryo growth were measured. We also tested the interaction between temperature stratification and cycles of drying and wetting designed to mimic sporadic rainfall events. All temperature and moisture treatments were tested in combination (+/–) with the smoke-derived chemical karrikinolide (KAR 1 ). Exposing dormant seeds to temperatures suitable for warm stratification (35°C) for ≥ 8 weeks, followed by incubation at 25°C, resulted in significantly higher germination compared with non-stratified seeds. Exposing seeds to dry/wet cycling in conjunction with temperature stratification did not significantly increase germination. Exposure to KAR 1 increased germination under most conditions. Once seeds are shed during October to December, they are exposed to hot and sporadically wet conditions over summer, allowing MPD to be overcome in a proportion of the seed population. Seeds may germinate in autumn (March to April), in conjunction with cooler temperatures. More deeply dormant in iduals may require more than one summer to overcome dormancy. Similar to other species occurring in fire-prone ecosystems, fire also plays a crucial role in the germination ecology of H. glaberrima .
Measuring metabolic rates of small terrestrial organisms by fluorescence-based closed-system respirometry
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1242/JEB.172874
Abstract: We explore a recent innovative variation of closed-system respirometry for terrestrial organisms, whereby pO2 is repeatedly measured fluorometrically in a constant-volume chamber over multiple time points. We outline a protocol that aligns this technology with the broader literature on aerial respirometry, including the calculations required to accurately convert O2 depletion to metabolic rate (MR). We identify a series of assumptions, and sources of error associated with this technique, including thresholds where O2 depletion becomes limiting, that impart errors to the calculation and interpretation of MR. Using these adjusted calculations, we found that the resting MR of five species of angiosperm seeds ranged from 0.011 to 0.640 mL.g−1.h−1, consistent with published seed MR. This innovative methodology greatly expands the lower size limit of terrestrial organisms that can be measured, and offers the potential for measuring MR changes over time as a result of physiological processes of the organism.
Optimizing physiological dormancy break of understudied cold desert perennials to improve seed-based restoration
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2019
Seed ageing of four Western Australian species in relation to storage environment and seed antioxidant activity
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 06-2003
DOI: 10.1079/SSR2003133
Abstract: The influence of the storage environment on seed viability and antioxidant potential was examined for four species native to Western Australia: Acacia bivenosa DC., Anigozanthos manglesii D. Don, Banksia ashbyi E.G. Baker, and Mesomelaena tetragona (R. Br.) Benth. Seeds were stored at four water contents (at c . 5%, 11–15%, 20–23% and 50% relative humidity) at each of five temperatures (–196, –18, 5, 23 and 50°C), and seed germination and seedling vigour monitored over an 18-month period. Deterioration was apparent in all species (except A. bivenosa ) stored at 50°C, with 11% RH maximizing longevity for B. ashbyi and M. tetragona seeds, and 5% or 11% RH preventing deterioration for A. manglesii seeds. Seed viability generally remained high for all species stored at 23°C or less. Notably, however, germination and seedling vigour of A. manglesii and M. tetragona seeds gradually declined when stored at –18°C, suggesting that storage at this temperature was detrimental. The antioxidant activity of lipid extracts of seeds after 18 months storage at 5, 23 and 50°C was also examined to determine whether the seed viability decline was associated with a loss of antioxidants. Antioxidant activity varied between storage treatments and was not related to seed viability.
Seed dormancy and persistent sediment seed banks of ephemeral freshwater rock pools in the Australian monsoon tropics
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-02-2015
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCV014
Detecting karrikinolide responses in seeds of the Poaceae
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1071/BT11170
Abstract: The smoke-derived chemical karrikinolide commonly triggers seeds in the Brassicaceae, Solanaceae and Asteraceae families to germinate, yet species in the Poaceae – another major understorey and weed family – have responded to the chemical with mixed results. This study aimed to understand why some grass species respond to karrikinolide while others do not. Using a field-based seed-burial trial, dose-response experiment, and stratification experiment, we investigated whether karrikinolide could alleviate dormancy and trigger seeds to germinate for seven global agronomic weeds: Avena fatua L., Lolium rigidum Gaudin, Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees, Phalaris minor Retz., Hordeum glaucum Steud., Ehrharta calycina Sm. and Bromus diandrus Roth. Seeds of A. fatua were consistently stimulated to germinate with karrikinolide in all experiments, whether seeds were freshly collected or dormancy had been partially alleviated. In contrast, seeds of L. rigidum failed to respond to karrikinolide when the seeds were fresh, after-ripened in the laboratory, and even during natural dormancy loss in the field. Interestingly, although karrikinolide did not stimulate freshly collected E. curvula seeds to germinate, it hastened dormancy loss when applied during stratification. These findings are helpful for understanding the responses of grass species following fire. They also contribute to a growing body of research aimed at using karrikinolide as a tool for triggering uniform germination of seeds for enhancing restoration efforts and depleting the weed seed bank.
More on seed longevity phenotyping
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 29-03-2022
DOI: 10.1017/S0960258522000034
Abstract: Understanding the relative longevity of different seed lots, perhaps of different species or genotypes, but also following production under different environments or using different cultivation methods, or following different post-harvest treatments, is relevant to anyone concerned with the retention of seed lot viability and vigour during storage. However, different scientists over the years have used different conditions to assess seed lot longevity, as well as different variables as the measure of ‘longevity.’ Here, we give some of the backgrounds to how two standard protocols, with an open and closed system respectively, were derived, and explain why we consider p 50 , defined as the time during storage when seed lot viability, as measured through a germination test, has declined to 50%, is a suitable longevity trait parameter.
Benefits of adopting seed-based technologies for rehabilitation in the mining sector
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/BT17154
Abstract: The use of native plant seeds is fundamental to large-scale rehabilitation and the re-establishment of self-sustaining ecosystems after high-impact mining activity has ceased. However, many of the biological attributes of seeds are often overlooked in large-scale rehabilitation programs. Multi-disciplinary, long-term research collaborations are required to improve seed-based mine rehabilitation. In this paper, we review the steps that BHP Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO), a large iron ore mining company that operates in the Pilbara bioregion of north-west Western Australia, has taken over the past 9 years to ensure continuous improvement in rehabilitation procedures. We introduce the mining activities that WAIO undertake in the Pilbara, and emphasise specific ex les of how research findings have led to incremental improvements in the seed management cycle, growth media management and mine rehabilitation practices. Specifically, we outline how the implementation of structured seed collection and storage programs has created the capacity to maintain high-quality seed stocks sufficient for 3–5 years of future rehabilitation. Research has documented the prevalence of seed dormancy in the flora ( % of 105 species examined produce dormant seeds), with physical and physiological classes of dormancy most commonly encountered. We discuss the development of seed-treatments such as optimised wet-heat and dry after-ripening that have increased the germination capacity of many previously dormant seed batches. In addition, we highlight how seed enhancement technologies, such as hydro-priming with smoke-derived germination stimulants and polymer seed coating, and a greater understanding of the biological and physical limitations present in the growing environment, have vastly improved seedling emergence performance under field conditions for key framework Triodia species. Ongoing industry support (e.g. construction of a purpose-built rain manipulation shelter) has ensured research in the Pilbara will continue to unpack and resolve the complex challenges associated with seed regeneration of bio erse native plant communities after mining.
Seed ecology informs restoration approaches for threatened species in water-limited environments: a case study on the short-range Banded Ironstone endemic Ricinocarpos brevis (Euphorbiaceae)
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/BT17155
Abstract: Translocation of threatened species is challenging in semiarid environments, especially when seeds are the principal means of in situ establishment. Worldwide, the overall success of translocations using seeds is highly variable and generally unpredictable. Most seed-based translocations are embarked upon with limited understanding of the species’ seed biology or the nuances of the local abiotic environment in which to guide restoration approaches. For instance, within Australia just 14% of threatened species translocations use directly sown seeds and consequently, to improve the chances of restoration success, both the seed biology and the influence of the abiotic environment need to be adequately understood. We investigated these aspects in Ricinocarpos brevis R.J.F.Hend. & Mollemans – a short-range Banded Ironstone endemic – by focusing on a series of laboratory and field experiments to understand the key drivers of dormancy alleviation and germination promotion, as well as in-situ conditions of natural and recipient translocation sites. Fresh seeds were found to have high viability, fully developed linear embryos and possess physiological dormancy, with enhanced germination when exposed to smoke water, karrikinolide (KAR1) and gibberellic acid (GA3). Under laboratory conditions, seeds germinated over a range of temperatures (15−30°C), but germination was suppressed by light and highly sensitive to water stress. Seeds had reduced germination when sown on the soil surface, but could emerge from up to 13 cm in depth. Under field conditions, in-situ emergence was %. Using in-situ emergence results, soil loggers and rainfall data, we developed a model of the recruitment bottlenecks faced by this species under in-situ conditions, an approach that provides useful insights to assist future translocations. Understanding seed biology and seed ecology enables better insights into the principal bottlenecks restricting in-situ emergence and consequently restoration success, leading to the development of more effective approaches for conserving other threatened flora in future.
A method for extensive spatiotemporal assessment of soil temperatures during an experimental fire using distributed temperature sensing in optical fibre
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/WF17107
Abstract: The use of distributed temperature sensing (DTS) for ecological applications has increased rapidly in the last 6 years. Here we demonstrate the first use of DTS to measure soil temperatures during a fuel reduction burn – in an urban grassy Tuart–Banksia woodland remnant near Perth, Western Australia. Optical fibre with an acrylate material coating (diameter 242μm), but no other jacketing or cabling, was buried in the soil at depths between 0 and 5cm. Measurements were recorded over 316m of optical fibre using a DTS measurement unit, providing data over a 5.5-h period at 20-s intervals resulting in 1243 temporal measurements at 60-cm spatial resolution. Soil temperatures were calibrated to an error of±6.8% at 250°C. Methods for installation, calibration and data visualisation are presented. Issues associated with assessment of DTS data in a fire ecology context are discussed.
Seed dormancy alleviation by warm stratification progressively widens the germination window in Mediterranean climate Rutaceae
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 08-03-2023
DOI: 10.1071/BT22076
Abstract: Context In ecosystems where rainfall is episodic or highly seasonal, plant recruitment from a soil-stored seed bank occurs during periods of elevated soil moisture conducive to germination and seedling establishment. The release of seed dormancy in response to environmental conditions has significant consequences for the temperature window over which germination occurs, and as such the timing of germination can vary between years. Aims We aimed to understand in seeds of two species of Rutaceae, Diplolaena d ieri and Rhadinothamnus anceps, how dormancy loss and germination timing is influenced by warm stratification. Methods We tested the germination response to temperatures between 5 and 30°C following increasing durations (1–12 and 4–12 weeks) of warm stratification at 20, 25, or 30°C. Key results Warm stratification for 1–8 weeks at 30°C progressively alleviated seed dormancy in D. d ieri and R. anceps, increasing germination proportion from ~0.1 to ~0.5 in both species. Stratification duration was optimal at 30°C for between 4 and 8 weeks depending on species. Warm stratification was not affected by water stress down to −0.8 Mpa. Application of aerosol smoke did not significantly improve germination, and heat treatments had a negative effect on final germination proportion. Conclusions As dormancy was progressively alleviated, the range of temperatures that support germination increased for D. d ieri and decreased for R. anceps, allowing for confirmation of type 1 and type 2 non-deep physiological dormancy (PD), respectively. Implications Arising from this conclusion, we suggest that in Mediterranean climates, type 1 and 2 PD dictate risk-taking and risk-avoiding ecological strategies by shifting the thermal requirements for germination towards that characteristic of the early- or mid-germination season. Classification of non-deep PD may offer a structured approach to predict how temperature requirements shift during dormancy loss, which will provide insight into seed germination response to year-to-year variation in seasonal environmental conditions.
Seed germination biology of the Albany pitcher plant, Cephalotus follicularis
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1071/BT19053
Abstract: Cephalotus follicularis is an ecologically unique, taxonomically isolated and range-restricted carnivorous plant that occurs exclusively within vulnerable wetland habitats in coastal south-western Australia. Very little is known about the reproductive biology of this iconic plant species, particularly in relation to seed dormancy and the specific requirements for germination. This knowledge gap must be filled to facilitate the establishment of conservation and management initiatives for the species, as Cephalotus is increasingly impacted by habitat loss, alteration to natural hydrological and fire regimes and, in recent times, climatic change. This study aimed to determine the type of seed dormancy that the seeds of Cephalotus possess, determine the optimum conditions required for seed germination, and examine the storage behaviour of seeds. The seeds of Cephalotus are small (1.0 × 0.5 mm), lightweight (0.1 mg) and remain indehiscent within a wind-dispersed hairy achene. Results suggest that the seeds may exhibit some sensitivity to desiccation and appear to be short lived (& months) when stored at 23°C. Maximum germination was achieved after 16 weeks incubation at 15°C for seeds removed from the protective outer layer of the achene, while seeds retained within the protective outer layer displayed lower germination success. The post-ripening morphological changes in the embryo, limited response to gibberellic acid, and the long time period required for germination suggests that the seeds exhibit morphophysiological dormancy, with a fraction of seeds remaining dormant for a period of time post-dispersal. These results highlight the importance of limiting hydrological alteration within the few remaining habitats that continue to support Cephalotus, but to ensure its long-term protection, further research focusing on phenology and in situ recruitment is required.
A research agenda for seed‐trait functional ecology
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-10-2018
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.15502
Abstract: Trait-based approaches have improved our understanding of plant evolution, community assembly and ecosystem functioning. A major challenge for the upcoming decades is to understand the functions and evolution of early life-history traits, across levels of organization and ecological strategies. Although a variety of seed traits are critical for dispersal, persistence, germination timing and seedling establishment, only seed mass has been considered systematically. Here we suggest broadening the range of morphological, physiological and biochemical seed traits to add new understanding on plant niches, population dynamics and community assembly. The ersity of seed traits and functions provides an important challenge that will require international collaboration in three areas of research. First, we present a conceptual framework for a seed ecological spectrum that builds upon current understanding of plant niches. We then lay the foundation for a seed-trait functional network, the establishment of which will underpin and facilitate trait-based inferences. Finally, we anticipate novel insights and challenges associated with incorporating erse seed traits into predictive evolutionary ecology, community ecology and applied ecology. If the community invests in standardized seed-trait collection and the implementation of rigorous databases, major strides can be made at this exciting frontier of functional ecology.
Preparation of 2H-Furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-one Derivatives and Evaluation of Their Germination-Promoting Activity
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 23-02-2007
DOI: 10.1021/JF0633241
Abstract: The butenolide, 3-methyl-2H-furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-one (1), has recently been identified as the germination stimulant present in smoke that promotes the germination of seeds from a wide range of plant species. In this paper, we describe the preparation of a number of analogues of 1 and compare their efficacy in promoting seed germination of three highly smoke-responsive plant species, Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids (Asteraceae), Emmenanthe penduliflora Benth. (Hydrophyllaceae), and Solanum orbiculatum Poir. (Solanaceae). The results show that the methyl substituent at C-3 in 1 is important for germination-promoting activity while substitution at C-7 reduces activity. In contrast, bioactivity is mostly retained with analogues substituted at C-4 or C-5.
Seed dormancy regulates germination response to smoke and temperature in a rhizomatous evergreen perennial
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-2018
Compaction conditions greatly affect growth during early plant establishment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
Variation in nutrient-acquisition patterns by mycorrhizal fungi of rare and common orchids explains diversification in a global biodiversity hotspot
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 26-03-2013
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCT064
X-Ray Mapping Investigations of Salt Migration in Seeds through use of Window and Windowless Silicon Drift Detectors
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-2014
Germinability of seeds stored in capsules on plants of two myrtaceous shrubs: differences among age cohorts and between species
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1071/BT09088
Abstract: Canopy-stored seed banks are a common trait among members of several plant families in sclerophyllous woodlands of Australia and South Africa, with their fruits usually opening in response to damage or fire. Unknown is whether the degree of dormancy and of germination differs among age cohorts in seeds stored on the mother plant. We examined the extent and speed of germination from two intensely serotinous myrtaceous species, Callistemon glaucus and Calothamnus quadrifidus, for seed held in capsules for up to 9 years. Germination of both species differed significantly among age cohorts (P 0.0001). However, no consistent increase in germination over a range of temperatures with storage was found, suggesting that no after-ripening occurred and that seeds were non-dormant at maturity. Differences among cohorts may be due to pre-conditioning. Significant (P ≤ 0.0214) differences occurred between the small-seeded Callistemon and the large-seeded Calothamnus. Germination was (1) optimum at ≥20°C for Callistemon but at °C for Calothamnus, (2) 9–12 days earlier for Callistemon than for Calothamnus, and (3) higher in light than in darkness for Callistemon but equal in both light conditions for Calothamnus. While germination of the species differed in important features, we would expect synchronous germination of all age cohorts to occur following fire and the onset of regular rainfall.
Overcoming physical seed dormancy in priority native species for use in arid-zone restoration programs
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/BT16059
Abstract: The relative effectiveness of wet- and dry-heat treatments on alleviating physical dormancy (PY) of seeds of seven species of Fabaceae and five species of Malvaceae was determined to optimise seed handling procedures for ecological restoration. Seeds of all species were treated at different temperatures (40−100°C) for various durations (2 and 5 min of wet heat, and 5, 10 and 30 min of dry heat). Prior to treatment, seeds of all species exhibited low germination (0–38%). As hypothesised, there was variation among species with respect to the efficacy of the heat treatments. In general, wet-heat treatments at temperatures °C for 2 or 5 min were effective in breaking PY for all Fabaceae species, and two Malvaceae species, with resultant germination typically %. For dry-heat treatments, higher temperatures and longer durations were required to achieve similar germination results. In the three Malvaceae species that were least responsive to heat (Abutilon otocarpum, Hibiscus haynaldii and Sida echinocarpa), there was a trade-off between treatment temperature and duration lower temperatures ( °C) failed to alleviate PY, whereas higher temperatures either rendered seeds permeable but not germinable (70−90°C), or resulted in seeds losing viability (e.g. 100°C). Therefore, combinational dormancy (PY + physiological dormancy) appears to be present in a proportion of the seeds of these Malvaceae species (i.e. those that imbibed and remained viable, but did not germinate). Scanning electron imagery established that the majority of wet-heat treatments resulted in the rupture of the water gap in the seed testa of all species. The results clearly demonstrate that optimal heat treatments for the alleviation of PY are species-specific. Restoration practitioners handling seeds of erse species should be mindful of treating seeds at the lowest effective temperature (70−90°C) to avoid injury through inadvertent exposure to temperatures that are higher and longer than necessary to break dormancy.
Benzoic acid may act as the functional group in salicylic acid and derivatives in the induction of multiple stress tolerance in plants
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2003
Influence of Polymer Seed Coatings, Soil Raking, and Time of Sowing on Seedling Performance in Post‐Mining Restoration
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-05-2006
Interpopulation variation in germination response to fire-related cues and after-ripening in seeds of the evergreen perennial Anigozanthos flavidus (Haemodoraceae)
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/WF19195
Abstract: Variations in the degree of seed dormancy expressed among conspecific populations provide a basis for improving understanding of the mechanisms controlling species persistence, especially in fire-prone ecosystems. We investigated seed germination of 12 Anigozanthos flavidus populations in response to various fire-related cues that included exposure to karrikinolide, glyceronitrile and smoke water at five temperatures, and the effects of heat shock and its interaction with glyceronitrile. Seeds from populations with deep-degree dormancy (DD) and light-degree dormancy (LD) were subjected to 0–8 months of after-ripening, and the viability of the ungerminated seeds was tested. The degree of seed dormancy and responses to fire-related cues were highly variable among populations. Glyceronitrile and smoke water significantly improved germination in 12 and 8 populations respectively. Heat significantly enhanced germination in all populations, but was less effective when combined with glyceronitrile. After-ripening for 3 months increased germination, whereas ≥4 months led to secondary dormancy or loss of viability. Loss of viability was greater for DD than for LD seeds. Interpopulation variations in the degree of seed dormancy, seed germination requirements for fire-related cues and germination viability in response to after-ripening in A. flavidus contribute to persistence in the variable and unpredictable Mediterranean environment.
Burning vegetation produces cyanohydrins that liberate cyanide and stimulate seed germination
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-06-2011
DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS1356
Abstract: Cyanide is well known for its toxicity towards living organisms. Many plants use cyanide as a defensive agent against herbivores, releasing it through the enzymatic hydrolysis of endogenous cyanogenic compounds. At low concentrations, cyanide has been proposed to have a regulatory role in many plant processes including stimulation of seed germination. However, no ecological role for cyanide in seed germination has been established. In the present study, we show that burning plant material produces the cyanohydrin, glyceronitrile. We also show that, in the presence of water, glyceronitrile is slowly hydrolysed to release cyanide that stimulates seed germination of a erse range of fire-responsive species from different continents. We propose that glyceronitrile serves as an ecological store for cyanide and is an important cue for stimulating seed germination and landscape regeneration after fires.
Environmental Factors Driving Seed Hydration Status of Soil Seed Banks and the Implications for Post-fire Recruitment
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 05-01-2022
Abstract: Changes in fire regimes due to climate change and fire management practices are affecting the timing, length, and distribution of vegetation fires throughout the year. Plant species responses and tolerances to fire differ from season to season and are influenced by species-specific phenological processes. The ability of seeds to tolerate extreme temperatures associated with fire is one of these processes, with survival linked to seed moisture content at the time of exposure. As fire is more often occurring outside historic dry fire seasons, the probability of fire occurring when seeds are hydrated may also be increasing. In this study, we set out to understand the seasonal dynamics of seed hydration for seeds of Banksia woodland species, and how certain seed traits interact with environmental conditions to influence survival of high temperatures associated with fire. We measured the moisture content of seeds buried to 2 cm in the soil seed bank for four common native species and one invasive species on a weekly basis throughout 2017, along with soil moisture content and environmental correlates. We determined water sorption isotherms at 20°C for seeds of each species and used these functions to model weekly variation in seed water activity and predict when seeds are most sensitive to soil heating. Using Generalised additive models (GAMs), we were able to describe approximately 67% of the weekly variance in seed water activity and explored differences in seed hydration dynamics between species. Seed water activity was sufficiently high (i.e., ≥ 0.85 a w ) so as to have created an increased risk of mortality if a fire had occurred during an almost continuous period between May and November in the study period (i.e., 2017). There were brief windows when seeds may have been in a dry state during early winter and late spring, and also when they may have been in a wet state during summer and late autumn. These data, and the associated analyses, provide an opportunity to develop approaches to minimize seed mortality during fire and maximize the seed bank response.
Inorganic soil amendments alter seedling performance of native plant species in post-mining arid zone rehabilitation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2019.04.022
Abstract: Rehabilitation of degraded drylands is challenged by environmental and anthropogenic constraints, such as limited availability of locally-sourced topsoil and poor quality alternative soil substrates. Current rehabilitation practices, at times, utilise inorganic soil amendments to improve the physicochemical and biological characteristics of reconstructed soil profiles. These approaches may be appropriate for dryland rehabilitation, but there is limited research available regarding the benefits of using these amendments. Here, we present a study in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, an arid landscape subject to intensive mining that currently uses inorganic soil amendments (gypsum and urea) in post-mining rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of these amendments to (1) promote seed germination, seedling emergence and seedling growth across five plant species and, (2) re-instate soil quality in mine waste substrates. A series of glasshouse experiments assessed eight application combinations of these amendments in two alternative substrates and compared these to unamended substrates and topsoil. Soil amendments had a limited influence on seed germination, were detrimental to seedling emergence and resulted in increased seedling mortality. Mortality in the waste ranged from 2 to 61% but increased to 7-92% in amended waste. Seedling growth improved with high doses of amendments in waste, with a 1.3-5.6-fold increase across all plant species. Soil quality was relatively unaffected by amendments with soil nitrogen ranging from 0.01 to 0.08%, organic carbon from 0.01 to 0.12% and soil microbial activity from 2.3 to 2.4 ppm-CO
Species-specific smoke effects on seed germination of plants from different habitats from Sri Lanka
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
Soil rock content influences the maximum seedling emergence depth of a dominant arid zone grass
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-04-2020
Soil respiration dynamics in fire affected semi-arid ecosystems: Effects of vegetation type and environmental factors
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.02.086
Abstract: Soil respiration (Rs) is the second largest carbon flux in terrestrial ecosystems and therefore plays a crucial role in global carbon (C) cycling. This biogeochemical process is closely related to ecosystem productivity and soil fertility and is considered as a key indicator of soil health and quality reflecting the level of microbial activity. Wildfires can have a significant effect on Rs rates and the magnitude of the impacts will depend on environmental factors such as climate and vegetation, fire severity and meteorological conditions post-fire. In this research, we aimed to assess the impacts of a wildfire on the soil CO
Seed Coating
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.TPLANTS.2016.11.002
Abstract: Seed coating is the practice of covering seeds with external materials to improve handling, protection, and, to a lesser extent, germination enhancement and plant establishment. With an annual value exceeding US$1 billion dollars, this technology is mostly the preserve of the private research sector, with few links to the scientific community. Here, we analyse the science and industry of seed coating and its contribution to seed establishment and plant performance. We posit that a closer collaboration between academia and industry is critical to realising the potential of seed coating both as a tool for enhancing plant establishment in the face of the challenges posed to agricultural systems and to propel the multibillion-dollar global push for ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems.
Temperature-induced self-sealing capability of Banksia follicles
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 06-2018
Abstract: Many plants in fire-prone regions retain their seeds in woody fruits in the plant canopy until the passage of a fire causes the fruit to open and release the seeds. To enable this function, suitable tissues are required that effectively store and protect seeds until they are released. Here, we show that three different species of the Australian genus Banksia incorporate waxes at the interface of the two valves of the follicle enclosing the seeds, which melt between 45°C and 55°C. Since the melting temperature of the waxes is lower than the opening temperatures of the follicles in all investigated species ( B. candolleana , B. serrata , B. attenuata ), we propose that melting of these waxes allows the sealing of micro-fissures at the interface of the two valves while they are still closed. Such a self-sealing mechanism likely contributes to the structural integrity of the seed pods, and benefits seed viability and persistence during storage on the plants. Furthermore, we show in a simplified, bioinspired model system that temperature treatments seal artificially applied surface cuts and restore the barrier properties.
A framework for the practical science necessary to restore sustainable, resilient, and biodiverse ecosystems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-12-2016
DOI: 10.1111/REC.12475
Ecophysiology of Seed Dormancy in the Australian Endemic Species Acanthocarpus preissii (Dasypogonaceae)
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-06-2006
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCL203
Seed reproductive biology of the rare aquatic carnivorous plantAldrovanda vesiculosa(Droseraceae)
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-02-2016
DOI: 10.1111/BOJ.12387
Overcoming physiological dormancy in seeds of Triodia (Poaceae) to improve restoration in the arid zone
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-04-2016
DOI: 10.1111/REC.12357
Coccidiosis in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Australia: Pathogenesis, spatial and temporal distribution, and climate-related determinants of disease outbreaks
Publisher: Wildlife Disease Association
Date: 31-03-2020
DOI: 10.7589/2019-05-115
Abstract: An epizootic of coccidiosis in free-ranging green turtles (
Bio-priming seeds with cyanobacteria: effects on native plant growth and soil properties
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-11-2020
DOI: 10.1111/REC.13040
Increased salinity reduces seed germination and impacts upon seedling development in Nymphaea L. (Nymphaeaceae) from northern Australia’s freshwater wetlands
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2020
Experimental seed sowing reveals seedling recruitment vulnerability to unseasonal fire
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-08-2021
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.2411
Abstract: Unseasonal fire occurrence is increasing globally, driven by climate change and other human activity. Changed timing of fire can inhibit postfire seedling recruitment through interactions with plant phenology (the timing of key processes, e.g., flower initiation, seed production, dispersal, germination), and therefore threaten the persistence of many plant species. Although empirical evidence from winter‐rainfall ecosystems shows that optimal seedling recruitment is expected following summer and autumn (dry season) fires, we sought experimental evidence isolating the mechanisms of poor recruitment following unseasonal (wet season) fire. We implemented a seed‐sowing experiment using nine species native to fire‐prone, Mediterranean‐climate woodlands in southwestern Australia to emulate the timing of postfire recruitment and test key mechanisms of fire seasonality effects. For seeds sown during months when fire is unseasonal (i.e., August–September: end of the wet winter season), seedling recruitment was reduced by up to 99% relative to seeds sown during seasonal fire months (i.e., May–June: end of the dry summer season) because of varying seed persistence, seedling emergence, and seedling survival. We found that up to 70 times more seedlings emerged when seeds were sown during seasonal fire months compared to when seeds were sown during unseasonal fire months. The few seedlings that emerged from unseasonal sowings all died with the onset of the dry season. Of the seeds that failed to germinate from unseasonal sowings, only 2% survived exposure on the soil surface over the ensuing hot and dry summer. Our experimental results demonstrate the potential for unseasonal fire to inhibit seedling recruitment via impacts on pregermination seed persistence and seedling establishment. As ongoing climate change lengthens fire seasons (i.e., unseasonal wildfires become more common) and managed fires are implemented further outside historically typical fire seasons, postfire seedling recruitment may become more vulnerable to failure, causing shifts in plant community composition towards those with fewer species solely dependent on seeds for regeneration.
Seeds at the forefront: synthesis of the inaugural National Seed Science Forum and future directions in Australian seed science
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/BTV65N8_ED
A new type of specialized morphophysiological dormancy and seed storage behaviour in Hydatellaceae, an early-divergent angiosperm family
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-03-2010
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCQ062
Prior hydration of Brassica tournefortii seeds reduces the stimulatory effect of karrikinolide on germination and increases seed sensitivity to abscisic acid
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-03-2010
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCQ061
A case study of seed-use technology development for Pilbara mine site rehabilitation
Publisher: Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth
Date: 2019
Cyanobacteria inoculation enhances carbon sequestration in soil substrates used in dryland restoration
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.04.265
Abstract: Despite significant efforts to restore dryland ecosystems worldwide, the rate of success of restoration is extremely low in these areas. The role of cyanobacteria from soil biocrusts in reestablishing soil functions of degraded land has been highlighted in recent years. These organisms are capable of improving soil structure and promoting soil N and C fixation. Nevertheless, their application to restore functions of reconstructed soils in dryland restoration programs is yet to be harnessed. In this study, we used microcosms under laboratory conditions to analyse the effects of inoculating soil substrates used in post-mine restoration with a mixture of N-fixing cyanobacteria isolated from soil biocrust (Nostoc commune, Tolypothrix distorta and Scytonema hyalinum) on i) the recovery of the biocrust, and ii) the carbon sequestration and mineralisation rates of these substrates. Soils were collected from an active mine site in the mining-intensive bio erse Pilbara region (north-west Western Australia) and consisted of previously stockpiled topsoil, overburden waste material, a mixture of both substrates, and a natural soil from an undisturbed area. Our results showed that cyanobacteria rapidly colonised the mine substrates, with biocrust coverage ranging from 23.8 to 52.2% and chlorophyll a concentrations of up to 12.2 μg g
Seed Dormancy Interacts with Fire Seasonality Mechanisms
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Do Abrasion- or Temperature-Based Techniques More Effectively Relieve Physical Dormancy in Seeds of Cold Desert Perennials?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
Monitoring of plant phenology and seed production identifies two distinct seed collection seasons in the Australian arid zone
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/RJ16050
Abstract: Phenological patterns including peak flowering and seed production of 19 grass, herb, shrub and tree species were studied in the Pilbara biogeographic region of Western Australia. Each plant population was monitored monthly over an 18-month period. Qualitative data was collected capturing plant phenophases. Plant fecundity was estimated using X-ray analyses to determine the proportion of seeds produced. Two main phenological patterns were established across plant life-forms. Precipitation during the summer wet season provided sufficient soil moisture for grasses to emerge from a dormant vegetative state and rapidly transition into flowering and seed production. In contrast, the deeper-rooted shrubs and herbs commenced flowering before the onset of the summer rains, completing their reproductive cycle before the period of higher moisture availability. The patterns observed indicated that the different plant life-forms co-existing within the Pilbara differentially exploit the available resources of this arid region. The contrasting phenological patterns between plant life-forms across seasons likely represent adaptations to a competitive, arid environment where water is the limiting resource. To meet the increasing demand for native seeds of erse plant species for ecosystem restoration, plant phenological data will become increasingly important for deriving seed supply strategies from wild or managed plant populations.
Effects of indigenous soil cyanobacteria on seed germination and seedling growth of arid species used in restoration
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-03-2018
Comparative longevity and low-temperature storage of seeds of Hydatellaceae and temporary pool species of south-west Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/BT10011
Abstract: The comparative longevity of seeds of species from the early-angiosperm group, Hydatellaceae, along with other temporary wetland aquatics from the South-west Australian Floristic Region were tested under standard experimental storage conditions. In contrast to recent hypotheses proposing that seeds from basal angiosperm species may be short-lived in storage, seeds of the Hydatellaceae species (Trithuria submersa Hook.f. and T. austinensis D.D.Sokoloff, Remizowa, T.Macfarlane and Rudall) were longer-lived than the other temporary wetland aquatic species tested. Seeds of Glossostigma drummondii Benth. (Scrophulariaceae), Myriophyllum petreaum Orchard and M. balladoniense Orchard (Haloragaceae), lost viability quickly and are thus predicted to be short-lived in seed bank storage. To assist seed bank conservation programs, the effect of seed moisture content on the viability of seeds stored for 1, 6 and 12 months at −18°C or in vapour phase cryopreservation (−150°C) was determined. Seeds of all species survived storage at both temperatures for up to 12 months, provided seed equilibrium relative humidity was below ~50%. Given the high conservation value of Hydatellaceae species and the potential short-lived nature of seeds of some of the species, we recommend that ex situ conservation programs for these aquatic species should consider cryopreservation as a means to maximise the longevity of their seeds.
Fire Seasonality Effect on Post-Fire Wind Dispersal: Response to Keith, Dunker, and Driscoll
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Variable seed bed microsite conditions and light influence germination in Australian winter annuals
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-01-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-021-05091-7
Abstract: Environmentally cued germination may play an important role in promoting coexistence in Mediterranean annual plant systems if it causes niche differentiation across heterogeneous microsite conditions. In this study, we tested how microsite conditions experienced by seeds in the field and light conditions in the laboratory influenced germination in 12 common annual plant species occurring in the understorey of the York gum-jam woodlands in southwest Western Australia. Specifically, we hypothesized that if germination promotes spatial niche differentiation, then we should observe species-specific germination responses to light. In addition, we hypothesized that species’ laboratory germination response may depend on the microsite conditions experienced by seeds while buried. We tested the laboratory germination response of seeds under diurnally fluctuating light and complete darkness, which were collected from microsites spanning local-scale environmental gradients known to influence community structure in this system. We found that seeds of 6 out of the 12 focal species exhibited significant positive germination responses to light, but that the magnitude of these responses varied greatly with the relative light requirement for germination ranging from 0.51 to 0.86 for these species. In addition, germination increased significantly across a gradient of canopy cover for two species, but we found little evidence to suggest that species’ relative light requirement for germination varied depending on seed bank microsite conditions. Our results suggest that variability in light availability may promote coexistence in this system and that the microsite conditions seeds experience in the intra-growing season period can further nuance species germination behaviour.
Restoration Seed Banks—A Matter of Scale
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 22-04-2011
Abstract: Seed banks must shift from being “st -collections” of species to collections that can provide tons of seeds and the expertise to improve restoration efforts.
Seed germination and dormancy traits of forbs and shrubs important for restoration of North American dryland ecosystems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-09-2018
DOI: 10.1111/PLB.12892
Abstract: In degraded dryland systems, native plant community re-establishment following disturbance is almost exclusively carried out using seeds, but these efforts commonly fail. Much of this failure can be attributed to the limited understanding of seed dormancy and germination traits. We undertook a systematic classification of seed dormancy of 26 species of annual and perennial forbs and shrubs that represent key, dominant genera used in restoration of the Great Basin ecosystem in the western United States. We examined germination across a wide thermal profile to depict species-specific characteristics and assessed the potential of gibberellic acid (GA
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