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Germination ecology of Central Asian Stipa spp: differences among species, seed provenances, and the importance of field studies

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Abstract

Stipa-species are wide-spread in Central Asia, but sexual reproduction in the dry steppes is rare. To facilitate conservation and restoration of these important rangelands, we studied germination characteristics of three common Mongolian Stipa-species under field- and lab conditions. Seeds of Stipa krylovii, Stipa gobica and Stipa glareosa were sown at the study site in Southern Mongolia over two consecutive years during which period tests were carried out to ascertain whether competition or herbivory are the main constraints of seedling establishment. In addition, we tested germination and seed viability in the laboratory under two different temperature regimes (20/10°C and 8/4°C), as well as the effect of cold-stratification. The lab experiments also included S. krylovii seeds originating from three climatically different provenances. None of the three Stipa-species seedlings emerged during the first 2 years of the field study. However, after an unusually intense rain event in the third year, 3% of S. krylovii, 0.6% of S. glareosa and 0.1% of S. gobica seeds germinated in the study plots. The factors ‘sowing-year’ and ‘vegetation’ significantly affected seedling emergence, whereas grazing had no effect at all. Under laboratory conditions a high percentage of viable seeds of S. gobica and S. glareosa germinated at both incubation temperatures, and cold-stratification had no effect on germination or viability. Germination of S. krylovii seeds required warmer temperatures and cold-stratification had a positive effect. Such evidence for dormancy was more pronounced in seeds from the moister, northern provenances. Germination of Stipa-species in the field is rare and only possible under exceptionally moist conditions. Conservation should thus concentrate on steppe conservation rather than on restoration. Where artificial reseeding is necessary, differences among species and also among different seed provenances should be taken into account.

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Acknowledgements

Andred Tuvshin and Christine Bläß helped to collect seeds and Sebastian Ploch provided invaluable assistance in the laboratory. We thank the German Science Foundation (DFG), the German Ministry for International Cooperation (BMZ), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the AFW-Schimper-Foundation for funding. Research permission and access to field sites was kindly granted by the Mongolian government and the administration of the Gobi Gurvan Saykhan National Park. Michael Bren and Danny McCluskey kindly corrected our English. This is contribution No. 280 in the series “Results of the German-Mongolian Biological expeditions since 1962”.

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  1. Institute of Biology—Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06108, Halle, Germany

    Katrin Ronnenberg, Karsten Wesche & Isabell Hensen

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  1. Katrin Ronnenberg
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  2. Karsten Wesche
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  3. Isabell Hensen
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Correspondence to Katrin Ronnenberg.

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Ronnenberg, K., Wesche, K. & Hensen, I. Germination ecology of Central Asian Stipa spp: differences among species, seed provenances, and the importance of field studies. Plant Ecol 196, 269–280 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-007-9351-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-007-9351-4

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