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Environmental factors that limit Stipa tenacissima L. germination and establishment in Mediterranean arid ecosystems in a climate variability context

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Abstract

In a climate variability context, knowledge about Alpha grass (Stipa tenacissima) seed germination and seedling establishment requirements is a key factor given the relevance of this species in wide areas of North Africa and southern Europe. Such knowledge can help to collect information about current S. tenacissima populations allowing the conservation and restoration in these ecosystems. According to this objective, we conducted a series of laboratory studies to investigate the effects of several ecological factors as temperature, light, salinity, burial depth and drought, in relation to germination capacity and development of new seedlings. The main results revealed that germination was delayed with increasing drought conditions generated by osmotic solutions. Seeds germinated at all the concentrations of NaCl solutions, but germination was completely inhibited at a PEG 6000 solution of −1.6 MPa. Further, an osmotic potential of −0.8 MPa inhibited root and shoot growth. Variations in temperature also promoted variable germination rates (GR50). The base germination temperature (Tb (50)) was less than 2 °C for the different osmotic potentials. Burial depth was another limiting factor required for establishment. Despite significant seed production, this study has identified several key limiting points affecting seed germination and seedling establishment which can affect the viability of their populations in the near future.

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Acknowledgements

Ms. K. Krichen thanks the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Tunisia. This work was partially funded by Projects CGL-2011-30531-CO2-02 and CGL2015-69773-C2-2-P by the Spanish Government to Dr. A.Vilagrosa, and Prometeo program (Desestres project, Generalitat Valenciana). CEAM is supported by the Generalitat Valenciana.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Plant Biodiversity and Ecosystems in Arid Environments, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia

    Khouloud Krichen & Mohamed Chaieb

  2. Department of Ecology, Mediterranean Center for Environmental Studies (Foundation CEAM), University of Alicante, PO Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain

    Alberto Vilagrosa

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  1. Khouloud Krichen
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  2. Alberto Vilagrosa
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Correspondence to Khouloud Krichen.

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Communicated by M. Horbowicz.

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Krichen, K., Vilagrosa, A. & Chaieb, M. Environmental factors that limit Stipa tenacissima L. germination and establishment in Mediterranean arid ecosystems in a climate variability context. Acta Physiol Plant 39, 175 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2475-9

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