Skip to main content

Effects of temperature, stratification, scarification, and seed origin on the germination ofScirpus acutus Muhl. seeds for use in constructed wetlands

Wetlands volume 15, pages 298–304 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

Procedures to maximize seed germination ofScirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush) from two geographic locations were studied in the laboratory. Pregermination conditions included scarification and stratification at 4±1°C for 0, 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks while submerged in water. Following the treatments, seeds were placed in night/day temperature regimes of 10/25°C or 18/22°C under a 14-hour photoperiod (≈200 μmol m−2 s−1 PPFD). A stratification period of at least 2 weeks significantly enhanced germination. Germination was significantly greater at 10/25°C than at 18/22°C. Maximum germination percentages of 97.5 and 92.5 were achieved for seed lots exposed to a 10/25°C temperature regime following a 12-week cold period. Germination percentages of seeds from the two geographic locations did not differ significantly (P <0.05).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Literature Cited

  • Barton, L.V. 1961. Seed Preservation and Longevity. p. 91–98.In: N. Polunin (ed.) Plant Science Monographs. Hill (Books) Ltd. London, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berrie, A.M.M. 1987. Germination and dormancy. p. 440–468.In: M.B. Wilkins (ed.) Advanced Plant Physiology. Longman Scientific & Technical, Harlow, Essex, England, and John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breen, P.F. 1990. A mass balance method for assessing the potential of artificial wetlands for wastewater treatment. Water Research 24:689–697.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Busnardo, M.J., R.M. Gersberg, R. Langis, T.L. Sinicrope, and J.B. Zedler. 1992. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal by wetland mesocosms subjected to different hydroperiods. Ecological Engineering 1:287–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gersberg, R.M., B.V. Elkins, S.R. Lyon, and C.R. Goldman. 1986. Role of aquatic plants in wastewater treatment by artificial wetlands. Water Research 20:363–368.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gersberg, R.M., S.R. Lyon, R. Brenner, and B.V. Elkins. 1989. Integrated Wastewater Treatment using Artificial Wetlands; A Gravel Marsh Case Study. p. 145–152.In: D.A. Hammer (ed.) Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: Municipal, Industrial and Agricultural. Lewis Publishers. Chelsea, MI, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammer, D.A. (ed.). 1989. Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: Municipal, Industrial and Agricultural. Lewis Publishers. Chelsea, MI, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, S.W. and W.H. Marshall. 1960. Germination and planting experiments on soft-stem and hard-stem bulrush. Journal of Wildlife Management 24:134–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, S.W. and W.H. Marshall. 1960. Germination and planting experiments on soft-stem and hard-stem bulrush. Journal of Wildlife Management 24:134–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, J.W. and A.M.M. Berrie. 1966. The germnation ofAvena fatua under different gaseous environments. Physiologia Plantarum 19:1020–1025.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kadlec, J.A. 1982. Mechanisms affecting salinity of Great Salt Lake marshes. The American Midland Naturalist 107:82–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isely, D. 1944. A Study of Conditions that Affect the Germination ofScirpus Seeds. Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station Memoir 257.

  • Maguire, J.D. and G.A. Heuterman. 1978. Influence of Pregermination Conditions on the Viability of Selected Marsh Plants, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Dredged Material Research Program. Technical Report D-78-51.

  • Martin, A.C. and F.M. Uhler 1939. Food of Game Ducks in the United States and Canada, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Washington, DC, USA. Technical Bulletin No. 634.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, A.M. and A. Poljakoff-Mayber. 1989. The Germination of Seeds, Fourth Edition. Pergamon Press, Oxford, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mielke, P.W., K.J. Berry, and G.W. Brier. 1981a. Application of multi-response permutation procedures for examining seasonal changes in monthly mean sea-level pressure patterns. Monthly Weather Review 109:120–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mielke, P.W., K.J. Berry, P.J. Brockwell and J.S. Williams. 1981b. A class of nonparametric tests based on multi-response permutation procedures. Biometrika 68:720–724.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mielke, P.W., K.J. Berry, and J.G. Medina. 1982. Climax I and II: Distortion resistant residual analyses. Journal of Applied Meteorology 21:788–792.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muenscher, W.C. 1936. Storage and Germination of Seeds of Aquatic Plants. Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 652.

  • Oborn, E.T. 1938. Storage and Germination Experiments on Seeds of Waterfowl Food and Cover Plants. Department of Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pride, R.E., J.S. Nohrstedt, and L.D. Benefield. 1990. Utilization of created wetlands to upgrade small municipal wastewater treatment systems. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 50:371–385.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, K.R. and W.H. Smith (eds.). 1987. Aquatic Plants for Water Treatment and Resource Recovery. Magnolia Publishing Inc., Orlando, FL, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, K.R., W.H. Patrick, Jr., and C.W. Lindau. 1989. Nitrification-denitrification at the plant root-sediment interface in wetlands. Limnology and Oceanography 34:1004–1013.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, E.H. and R.D. Smith. 1977.In A.A. Khan (ed.) The Physiology and Biochemistry of Seed Dormancy and Germination. North-Holland Publishing Co., Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, K.H., P.F. Breen, and A.J. Chick. 1991. Nitrogen removal in experimental wetland treatment systems: evidence for the role of aquatic plants. Research Journal Water Pollution Control Federation 63:934–941.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute, Inc. 1985. SAS/STAT Guide for Personal Computers, Version 6 Edition. SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shipley, B., P.A. Keddy, D.R.J. Moore, and K. Lemky. 1989. Regeneration and establishment strategies of emergent macrophytes. Journal of Ecology 77:1093–1110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A.J. 1989. Wastewaters: A Perspective. p. 3–19.In D.A. Hammer (ed.) Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: Municipal, Industrial and Agricultural. Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, MI, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sypulski, J.L. 1943. The Seney bulrush picker. Journal of Wildlife Management 7:230–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 1980. Aquaculture Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Seminar Proceedings and Engineering Assessment. Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. EPA-430/9-80-006, NTIS No. PB 81-156705.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Biological Service, P.O. Box 25007 D-8220, 80225-0007, Denver, Colorado

    Joan S. Thullen

  2. Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007 D-8220, 80225-0007, Denver, Colorado

    Debra R. Eberts

Authors
  1. Joan S. Thullen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Debra R. Eberts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thullen, J.S., Eberts, D.R. Effects of temperature, stratification, scarification, and seed origin on the germination ofScirpus acutus Muhl. seeds for use in constructed wetlands. Wetlands 15, 298–304 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160710

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160710

Key Words

  • Seed germination
  • Scirpus acutus
  • hardstem bulrush
  • cold stratification
  • constructed wetlands
  • marshes