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Potential impact of global warming on seed bank, dormancy and germination of three succulent species from the Chihuahuan Desert

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2018

José Luis Aragón-Gastélum ,
Joel Flores ,
Enrique Jurado ,
Hugo M. Ramírez-Tobías ,
Erika Robles-Díaz ,
Juan Pablo Rodas-Ortiz  and
Laura Yáñez-Espinosa
José Luis Aragón-Gastélum
Affiliation:
Facultad de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Av. Agustín Melgar S/N entre Calle 20 y Juan de la Barrera. Col. Buenavista, San Francisco de Campeche, Campeche, 24039, México
Joel Flores*
Affiliation:
IPICYT/División de Ciencias Ambientales, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Colonia Lomas 4a. Sección, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., 78216, México
Enrique Jurado
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales. A.P. 41, Carretera Nacional No. 85, Km 145, Linares, N.L., 67700. México
Hugo M. Ramírez-Tobías
Affiliation:
Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. Km. 14.5 Carretera San Luis Potosí-Matehuala, Ejido Palma de la Cruz, Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, S.L.P., 78321, México
Erika Robles-Díaz
Affiliation:
Laboratorio Nacional de Variabilidad Climática, Teledetección y Evaluación de Riesgos Agrícolas, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Coordinación para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Sierra Leona 550, Lomas 2a. Sección, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., 78210, México
Juan Pablo Rodas-Ortiz
Affiliation:
IPICYT/División de Ciencias Ambientales, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Colonia Lomas 4a. Sección, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., 78216, México
Laura Yáñez-Espinosa
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Instituto de Investigación de Zonas Desérticas, Altaír No. 200, Colonia del Llano, C.P. 78377, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., México.
*
Author for correspondence: Joel Flores, Email: joel@ipicyt.edu.mx
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Abstract

We assessed inter-seasonal dynamics of seed banks, dormancy and seed germination in three endemic Chihuahuan Desert succulent species, under simulated soil warming conditions. Hexagonal open top-chambers (OTCs) were used to increase soil temperature. Seeds of Echinocactus platyacanthus (Cactaceae), Yucca filifera and Agave striata (Asparagaceae) were collected and buried within and outside OTCs. During the course of one year, at the end of each season, seed batches were exhumed to test viability and germination. Soil temperature in OTCs was higher than in control plots. Yucca filifera seeds always had high germination independently of warming treatment and season. Agave striata seeds from OTCs had higher germination than those from control plots. Agave striata exhibited low germination in fresh seeds, but high germination in spring. Seeds from this species lost viability throughout the experimental timeframe, and had no viable seeds remaining in the soil. Echinocactus platyacanthus showed high germination in fresh seeds and displayed dormancy cycling, leading to high germination in spring, low germination in summer and autumn, and high germination in winter. Germination of this species was also higher in seeds from OTCs than those from control plots. Echinocactus platyacanthus formed soil seed banks and its cycle of inter-seasonal dormancy/germination could be an efficient physiological mechanism in a climate change scenario. Under global warming projections, our results suggest that future temperatures may still fall within the three studied species’ thermal germination range. However, higher germination for A. striata and E. platyacanthus at warmer temperatures may reduce the number of seeds retained in the seed bank, and this could be interpreted as limiting their ability to spread risk over time. This is the first experimental study projecting an increase in soil temperature to assess population traits of succulent plants under a climate change scenario for American deserts.

Keywords

AsparagaceaeCactaceaeChihuahuan Desertdormancy cyclinggerminationglobal warmingsoil seed bank
Type
Research Paper
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , December 2018 , pp. 312 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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