Seed trait databases – ecological applications

Authors

  • Péter Csontos Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Herman O. út 15,. Budapest, H-1022, Hungary
  • Tibor Kalapos Institute of Biology, L. Eötvös University; Pázmány P. stny. 1/c., Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
  • Júlia Tamás Botanical Department, Hungarian Natural History Museum; Könyves K. krt. 40., Budapest, H-1089, Hungary

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56617/tl.3759

Keywords:

database, grasses, photosynthetic type, seed bank, seed dispersal, seed mass, seed shape

Abstract

Present paper reports four electronic databases related to seeds of wild-growing flora of Hungary, and presents two examples for database application. The four databases cover the following seed traits: seed mass, seed shape, seed dispersal type and soil seed bank type, and contain data for 1892, 1654, 1927 and 501 species, respectively. In the first application example, relationship between seed mass of species and their soil seed bank type (transient, short-term persitent and long-term persistent) was investigated. Results showed that expected seed longevity in the soil decreases with increasing seed mass of species, and the largest seeded species are all belong to the transient group. In the second example, grass groups of photosynthetic types C3 and C4 were compared on the basis of mass and shape of their caryopses. Results showed significant differences between the two grass groups. Average caryopses mass of the C4 group was lower than that of the C3 group. Average shape of caryopses was more elongated in case of the C3 group, whereas caryopses of the C4 grasses were rather more isodiametric. These findings could be used in predicting weedy and invasive character of grass species.

Author Biography

  • Péter Csontos, Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Herman O. út 15,. Budapest, H-1022, Hungary

    corresponding author
    csontos.peter@agrar.mta.hu

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Published

2013-12-06

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Seed trait databases – ecological applications. (2013). JOURNAL OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY | TÁJÖKOLÓGIAI LAPOK , 11(2), 335-339. https://doi.org/10.56617/tl.3759

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