title: Natural persistence of the coastal plant Glehnia littoralis along temperate sandy coasts.
abstract: We studied germination behaviors and persistence mechanism of wild Glehnia littoralis, a typical coastal species at temperate sandy coasts of the North Pacific Ocean, and tested the hypothesis that the coastal plants may have evolved special seeds adapting to the coasts, by which they recruit and persist easily, occupying the coasts as ideal habitats. In the Shandong Peninsula, China, we investigated temperature and moisture conditions of coast sand in relation to germination and evaluated effects of sand burial, seawater immersion and sowing time on germination. When germination began, daily dawn temperatures of sand were about 10 °C and daily noon temperatures were about 25 °C; the temperatures were not different in the sand <8 cm deep. The sand at these depths showed a significant difference in moisture contents. The seeds exhibited large germination rates if sand burial was at depths >= 3 cm and winter freezing was kept longer than 2.5 months. Seeds experiencing seawater immersion were able to germinate well. These evidences suggest that G. littoralis has evolved special seeds adapting to seawater dispersal and specific season rhythm. By the seeds, G. littoralis occupies temperate sandy coasts as ideal habitats to persist.
authors.affiliation: Qingdao Engineering Research Center for Rural Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Chengyang, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Xiao
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Qingdao Engineering Research Center for Rural Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Chengyang, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Shan
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D019661:Apiaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D018525:Germination