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Abstract Detail


Seed Biology

Soriano, Diana [1], Huante, Pilar [2].

Seed reserves characterization and utilization in tropical dry forest.

Seeds represent the past and the future of a plant community, they are the result of environmental conditions of previous seasons and have an essential role for the future recruitment. Seeds production and its characteristics (size, number, reserves and defense) reflect the reproductive effort of the mother plant to maximize seed survival, germination and establishment. Among seed characteristics, the seed reserves and its use is central to understand the early growth period of an individual plant until seedlings become able to exploit local resourse. Previous studies of the relationship of seed size, reserves and plant growth are not conclusive, showing a variety of relationships, suggesting the need of futher investigations. In this work we show the qualitative and quantitative characterization of seed reserves (lipids, proteins and carbohydrates) in 20 tree species of the tropical dry forest in the Pacific coast of México. A large variation in seed reserves composition was showed among species, the percentage of seed lipids and carbohydrates were positively related, there was not relationship between reserves and the relative growth rate. We also tested the utilization of seed reserve in five species with contrasting seed characteristics. Each species showed a different way to use their reserves. Some species used first lipids, even if the metabolic cost of lipid utilization is higher than the one of carbohydrates. These results suggest different abilities among species to confront the critical initial stages to establish in the tropical dry forest.


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1 - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, I. Ecologia, Circuito exterior junto al Jardín botánico. C.U. UNAM. DF., Mexico, Distrito Federal, 04510, México
2 - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Instituto de Ecologia

Keywords:
Seeds
reserves
tropical dry forest.

Presentation Type: Plant Biology Abstract
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P29014
Abstract ID:1237


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