About this Environmental Science article

Population differentiation and germination ecology in Stellaria media (L.) Vill. by F. W. van der Vegte is a Environmental Science article available to read on EtoBox.

Population differentiation in Stellaria media was studied with regard to life-cycle strategy and germination ecology. Two populations were identified in the study area, growing side by side, W1 and W2. The life-span of population W1 is much shorter than that of population W2, especially under summer conditions: 1-2 months versus 4-6 months; the time to flowering differs accordingly. Germination properties of seed produced under summer, winter, and field conditions were studied. Fresh seeds produced at 20° C showed good germination (ca. 75%) over a broad range of temperatures in the case of population W1, but seeds of population W2 showed appreciable germination only at high temperatures (ca. 30%). Seeds produced at 7° C showed very little (population W2) or no germination at all (population W1). To simulate seasonal changes in temperature, a "comprehensive" germination scheme was developed which enabled the response of hydrated seeds to two temperature cycles (cold-warm-cold and warm-cold-warm) to be tested. The two populations reacted differently. At the end of the cycles, only a few seeds of population W1, but about half of the seeds of population W2, remained dormant. The data o

Author

F. W. van der Vegte

Publisher

Springer-Verlag; Springer Verlag; Springer Science and Business Media LLC (ISSN 0029-8549)

Published

1978

Language

EN

Field

Environmental Science (Physical Sciences)