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Articles • Rodriguésia 59 (1) • Jan-Mar 2008 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860200859108   copy

Factors limiting seed germination of terrestrial bromeliads in the sandy coastal plains (restinga) of Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil1 1 Part of the PhD thesis from the first author.

Fatores limitantes para a germinação de sementes de bromélias terrestres da restinga de Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Vegetation islands surrounded by bare sand are one of the most characteristic features of the sandy plains (restinga) of the Brazilian coastline. Abiotic conditions outside the islands are too harsh for the establishment of plants. Bromeliads are frequent both inside and at the borders of islands, but infrequent outside the islands in the restinga of Maricá. We hypothesized that the rarity of bromeliad seedlings in the restinga is due to high mortality during the seed and/or seedling stages. In this study, we assessed the potential limiting factors for germination and seedling survival of three terrestrial bromeliads Neoregelia cruenta, Aechmea nudicaulis and Vriesea neoglutinosa. Seed viability, water balance during dry-wet cycles, germination under different water potentials and the susceptibility of seedlings to high temperatures, desiccation and sand burial were analyzed. The tested seeds were nondormant, and they germinated to >70% even after exposure to 60ºC and desiccation. At temperatures > 27ºC, seeds lost water faster than imbibited it, and drywet cycles and water potentials of -0.4 MPa decreased germination. Thus, low water availability is likely limiting factor for bromeliad seed germination in the restinga of Maricá. Seedlings were extremely sensitive to high temperatures and sand burial. Shoots failed to emerge if seed depth exceeded 10 mm. We suggest that unequal temporal distribution of rainfall, low water retention capacity of the soil, and high temperatures inhibit germination and seedling establishment through water stress. Consequently, bromeliads are not likely to act as pioneer plants in the barren regions that separate restinga islands.

Key words:
seedling survival; growth; temperature; sandy coastal plains

RESUMO

Moitas de vegetação separadas por areia ocorrem freqüentemente nas planícies costeiras brasileiras. Condições abióticas nas áreas entre moitas são estressantes para o estabelecimento vegetal. Na restinga de Maricá, bromélias são freqüentes dentro e na borda das moitas, sendo mais raras nas áreas entre moitas. Lança-se a hipótese de que a raridade de plântulas de bromélias nas áreas entre moitas seja devida à alta mortalidade durante a fase de semente ou plântula. Neste estudo, foram acessados potenciais fatores limitantes para a germinação e sobrevivência de três espécies de bromélias terrestres: Neoregelia cruenta, Aechmea nudicaulis e Vriesia neoglutinosa. Foram analisadas a viabilidade das sementes, o balanço hídrico sob ciclos de seca e hidratação, a germinação sob diferentes potenciais hídricos e a susceptibilidade das plântulas a altas temperaturas, dessecação e soterramento. As sementes não se mostraram dormentes e apresentaram germinabilidade acima de 70%, mesmo após exposição a 60ºC e à dessecação. Sob maiores temperaturas (> 27ºC), as sementes perderam água mais rapidamente do que embeberam. Ciclos de seca e hidratação e potenciais hídricos negativos (> -0,4 MPa) reduziram a germinabilidade. O reduzido fornecimento hídrico é provavelmente o fator limitante para a germinação de sementes de bromélias na restinga de Maricá. As plântulas foram extremamente sensíveis às altas temperaturas e ao soterramento, não conseguindo emergir quando a profundidade excedeu 10 mm. Sugere-se que a distribuição variável de chuvas, a baixa capacitância hídrica do solo e as altas temperaturas inibem a germinação e o estabelecimento de plântulas em condições de restinga. Conseqüentemente, as bromélias não parecem capazes de agir como pioneiras nas áreas entre moitas da restinga de Maricá.

Palavras-chave:
plântula; crescimento; temperatura; restinga

Full text available only in PDF format.

  • 1
    Part of the PhD thesis from the first author.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are very grateful to Drs. Carol Baskin; Jerry Baskin and Dr. Marli Ranal for valuable help with the manuscript revision. We also thank Dr. Fabio R. Scarano, Ricardo Cardoso Vieira, Dulce Mantuano and Mr. Dutch Vandervort for discussion of ideas, encouragement and help with the English translation. Drs. Márcia and Rogério Margis; Mrs. Luis Frade, Sérgio Schubart, Itamar Macedo and Dr. Maulori helped for laboratory facilities and material. The first author was sponsored by CAPES.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Jan-Mar 2008

History

  • Received
    July 2007
  • Accepted
    Dec 2007
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