Abstract
Background and aims
Predators may partially or completely consume Quercus spp. acorns, but effects on nutrient remobilization and seedling performance are poorly understood. We investigated interactions between soil fertility and the removal of Quercus variabilis acorn cotyledons at different early developmental stages on seedling nutrition and development.
Methods
Seedlings were grown in two soils of contrasting fertility and the kinetics of acorn nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium remobilization, and seedling survival, growth and nutrient content were analyzed.
Results
Acorn mass and macronutrients decreased remarkably <2 weeks after emergence, with nitrogen and phosphorus remobilizing faster than potassium. Acorn removal at or 1 week after emergence inhibited seedling survival, growth and fine root formation, whereas removal from 2 to 10 weeks after emergence had minor effects. Acorn macronutrient remobilization and effects of acorn removal on seedling performance were not reversed under high soil fertility. When acorns were removed ≥2 weeks after emergence, fertilization increased root surface and seedling nitrogen content.
Conclusions
Acorn nutrients are more important than soil nutrients during very early seedling development. Cotyledon damage at emergence impairs seedling performance despite no direct damage to the remainder of the seedling. This effect cannot be reverted by high soil fertility and has potential ecological and practical implications for oak regeneration.
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Acknowledgements
This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31670638); Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (TD2011-8), Special Funds for Beijing Municipal Common Construction Project with Central Universities. We acknowledged the project CGL 2014-53308-P SERAVI and by the network REMEDINAL 3 (S2013/MAE-2719) of the CAM. We thank the executive editor and anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments. Our special thanks go to the managers and workers of Jiufeng Mountain greenhouse for their valuable help and support.
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Shi, W., Villar-Salvador, P., Jacobs, D.F. et al. Simulated predation of Quercus variabilis acorns impairs nutrient remobilization and seedling performance irrespective of soil fertility. Plant Soil 423, 295–306 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3518-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3518-0