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Effect of acorn size on survival and growth of Quercus suber L. seedlings under water stress

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Abstract

While the effects of seed size on survival and early seedling growth have been demonstrated in Quercus spp., there is a knowledge gap regarding these effects under water limiting conditions. To address this need, we studied cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedling development among treatments including three acorn classes (small: < 4 g, intermediate: 4–6 g), and large: ≥ 6 g) and two water regimes (well-watered versus water stressed). The following hypotheses were proposed: the reserve effect (larger seeds retain a larger proportion of reserves after germinating), the metabolic effect (seedlings from larger seeds have slower relative growth rates), the seedling-size effect (larger seeds produce larger seedlings), and that plant tolerance to water stress increases with increasing seed size. Acorn size had no effect on duration and rate of acorn germination nor on seedling survival, but it significantly affected almost all growth parameters, excepting the number of growth unit and leaves and leaf area. Seedlings coming from large acorns always showed the highest values for the affected growth parameters, followed by those coming from acorns of intermediate size; seedlings coming from small acorns always exhibited the lowest values. Water stress significantly affected survival rate (88.2% for well-watered seedlings versus 64.7% for water stressed seedlings) and biomass of fine roots and stems, but independently of acorn size. Our results are in line with both hypothesizes of the reserve effect and seedling-size effect, but not for the metabolic effect nor the plant tolerance to water stress increases with increasing seed size hypotheses. In general, our results show that large acorns had no advantage in survival or seedling growth under water stress comparatively to intermediate or small acorns, at least under the conditions of our experiment.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the research station and the direction of forests in the district of Sejnane for their assistance in all phases of this research project, including soil and pots supply. Special thanks to Amor Houatmia for helping in the setup of the experiment.

Funding

This study was funded by the direction of forests in the district of Sejnane.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté Des Sciences de Bizerte (FSB), 7021, Jarzouna, Tunisia

    Taher Mechergui

  2. Sajnane, Bizerte, Tunisia

    Taher Mechergui

  3. Forest Dynamics and Management. INIA-CIFOR. Crtra Coruña, Km 7.5., 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Marta Pardos

  4. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Douglass F. Jacobs

Authors
  1. Taher Mechergui
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  2. Marta Pardos
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  3. Douglass F. Jacobs
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Correspondence to Taher Mechergui.

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Communicated by Oliver Gailing.

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Mechergui, T., Pardos, M. & Jacobs, D.F. Effect of acorn size on survival and growth of Quercus suber L. seedlings under water stress. Eur J Forest Res 140, 175–186 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-020-01323-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-020-01323-2

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