[Effects of sand burying on caryopsis germination and seedling growth of Bromus inermis Leyss].
This paper studied the effects of different depth sand burying on the caryopsis germination, seedling emergence and growth of Bromus inermis Leyss., a perennial gramineous grass dominated on Othidag sandy land. The results showed that the maximum burying depth for B. inermis caryopsis germination and seedling emergence was 12 cm and 8 cm, respectively. Below the thresholds, the percentages of caryopsis germination and seedling emergence decreased with increasing depth of sand burying. All the 1- and 2-week-old seedlings of B. inermis could survive when the sand burying depth was up to 33% of their height, and their biomass was no less than the unburied seedlings. When the burying depth increased to 66% of their height, 70% of 1-week-old seedlings and 25% of 2-week-old seedlings could survive, but their growth was impaired. No seedlings could survive when they were wholly buried in sand. When buried by sand, the seedlings allocated more biomass for the development of their aboveground part, which might be an important adaptation strategy of B. inermis to sand burying.
Yang
Hui-ling
HL
State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China. huilingyang@so-hu.com
Cao
Zhi-ping
ZP
Dong
Ming
M
Ye
Yong-zhong
YZ
Huang
Zhen-ying
ZY
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D031724:Bromus / Q000254:growth & development*; D003889:Desert Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D018525:Germination / Q000502:physiology*; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D006109:Poaceae / Q000254:growth & development; D036226:Seedlings / Q000502:physiology*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*
D012822:Silicon Dioxide