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Zahed M, Bączek-Kwinta R. The Impact of Post-Fire Smoke on Plant Communities: A Global Approach. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3835. [PMID: 38005732 PMCID: PMC10674613 DOI: 10.3390/plants12223835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Smoke is one of the fire-related cues that can alter vegetation communities' compositions, by promoting or excluding different plant species. For over 30 years, smoke-derived compounds have been a hot topic in plant and crop physiology. Research in this field was initiated in fire-prone areas in Australia, South Africa and some countries of both Americas, mostly with Mediterranean-type climates. Then, research extended to regions with moderate climates, like Central European countries; this was sometimes determined by the fact that in those regions, extensive prescribed or illegal burning (swailing) occurs. Hence, this review updates information about the effects of smoke compounds on plant kingdoms in different regions. It also focuses on research advances in the field of the physiological effects of smoke chemicals, mostly karrikins, and attempts to gather and summarize the current state of research and opinions on the roles of such compounds in plants' lives. We finish our review by discussing major research gaps, which include issues such as why plants that occur in non-fire-prone areas respond to smoke chemicals. Have recent climate change and human activities increased the risk of wildfires, and how may these affect local plant communities through physiologically active smoke compounds? Is the response of seeds to smoke and smoke compounds an evolutionarily driven trait that allows plants to adapt to the environment? What can we learn by examining post-fire smoke on a large scale?
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahboube Zahed
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in Gorgan, Basij Square, Pardis No. 2, Gorgan 49189-43464, Iran
| | - Renata Bączek-Kwinta
- Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Seed Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, ul. Podłuzna 3, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
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Pausas JG, Lamont BB. Fire-released seed dormancy - a global synthesis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1612-1639. [PMID: 35384243 PMCID: PMC9540907 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Seed dormancy varies greatly between species, clades, communities, and regions. We propose that fireprone ecosystems create ideal conditions for the selection of seed dormancy as fire provides a mechanism for dormancy release and postfire conditions are optimal for germination. Thus, fire‐released seed dormancy should vary in type and abundance under different fire regimes. To test these predictions, we compiled data from a wide range of fire‐related germination experiments for species in different ecosystems across the globe. We identified four dormancy syndromes: heat‐released (physical) dormancy, smoke‐released (physiological) dormancy, non‐fire‐released dormancy, and non‐dormancy. In fireprone ecosystems, fire, in the form of heat and/or chemical by‐products (collectively termed ‘smoke’), are the predominant stimuli for dormancy release and subsequent germination, with climate (cold or warm stratification) and light sometimes playing important secondary roles. Fire (heat or smoke)‐released dormancy is best expressed where woody vegetation is dense and fires are intense, i.e. in crown‐fire ecosystems. In such environments, seed dormancy allows shade‐intolerant species to take advantage of vegetation gaps created by fire and synchronize germination with optimal recruitment conditions. In grassy fireprone ecosystems (e.g. savannas), where fires are less intense but more frequent, seed dormancy is less common and dormancy release is often not directly related to fire (non‐fire‐released dormancy). Rates of germination, whether controls or postfire, are twice as fast in savannas than in mediterranean ecosystems. Fire‐released dormancy is rare to absent in arid ecosystems and rainforests. The seeds of many species with fire‐released dormancy also possess elaiosomes that promote ant dispersal. Burial by ants increases insulation of seeds from fires and places them in a suitable location for fire‐released dormancy. The distribution of these dormancy syndromes across seed plants is not random – certain dormancy types are associated with particular lineages (phylogenetic conservatism). Heat‐released dormancy can be traced back to fireprone floras in the ‘fiery’ mid‐Cretaceous, followed by smoke‐released dormancy, with loss of fire‐related dormancy among recent events associated with the advent of open savannas and non‐fireprone habitats. Anthropogenic influences are now modifying dormancy‐release mechanisms, usually decreasing the role of fire as exaptive effects. We conclude that contrasting fire regimes are a key driver of the evolution and maintenance of diverse seed dormancy types in many of the world's natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- CIDE-CSIC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Montcada, Valencia, 46113, Spain
| | - Byron B Lamont
- Ecology Section, School of Life and Molecular Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
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Fire-Related Cues Significantly Promote Seed Germination of Some Salt-Tolerant Species from Non-Fire-Prone Saline-Alkaline Grasslands in Northeast China. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10122675. [PMID: 34961146 PMCID: PMC8707350 DOI: 10.3390/plants10122675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Seed germination in response to fire-related cues has been widely studied in species from fire-prone ecosystems. However, the germination characteristics of species from non-fire-prone ecosystems, such as the saline-alkaline grassland, where fire occasionally occurs accidentally or is used as a management tool, have been less studied. Here, we investigate the effects of different types of fire cues (i.e., heat and smoke water) and their combined effect on the seed germination of 12 species from the saline-alkaline grassland. The results demonstrated that heat shock significantly increased the germination percentage of Suaeda glauca and Kochia scoparia var. sieversiana seeds. Smoke water significantly increased the germination percentage of Setaria viridis and K. scoparia seeds. However, compared with single fire cue treatments, the combined treatment neither promoted nor inhibited seed germination significantly in most species. These results suggest that fire cues can be used as germination enhancement tools for vegetation restoration and biodiversity protection of the saline-alkaline grassland.
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Roca J, Jaureguiberry P, Gurvich DE. Are wildfires affecting seed germination in cactus? An experimental assessment. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Roca
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and FCEFyN CórdobaCC 495, X5000HVAArgentina
| | - Pedro Jaureguiberry
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and FCEFyN CórdobaCC 495, X5000HVAArgentina
| | - Diego E. Gurvich
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and FCEFyN CórdobaCC 495, X5000HVAArgentina
- Cátedra de Biogeografía FCEFyN (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) Córdoba Argentina
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Cohen O, Gamliel A, Katan J, Kurzbaum E, Riov J, Bar P. Controlling the seed bank of the invasive plant Acacia saligna: comparison of the efficacy of prescribed burning, soil solarization, and their combination. Biol Invasions 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-018-1738-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Arcamone JR, Jaureguiberry P. Germination response of common annual and perennial forbs to heat shock and smoke treatments in the Chaco Serrano, central Argentina. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julieta R. Arcamone
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and FCEFyN; P.O. Box 495 5000 Córdoba Argentina
| | - Pedro Jaureguiberry
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and FCEFyN; P.O. Box 495 5000 Córdoba Argentina
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Natural disturbance, vegetation patterns and ecological dynamics in tropical montane forests. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467416000328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Disturbance is a central process in forest dynamics, yet the role of natural disturbance in tropical montane forests (TMFs) has not been systematically addressed. We posit that disturbance in TMFs has a wider role than commonly acknowledged and its effects are distinctive because: (1) TMFs often have very low rates of productivity due to low resources, and so recovery from disturbance may be slow, (2) montane forests have marked environmental heterogeneity which interacts with disturbance, (3) a large percentage of TMFs are regularly exposed to high energy windstorms and landslides, and (4) TMFs contain a biogeographically rich mixture of tree species with divergent evolutionary histories that interact differently with different disturbance types. We reviewed the literature on natural disturbance in TMFs and found 119 peer-reviewed papers which met our search criteria. Our review shows that disturbance is widespread in TMFs with pronounced effects on structure, function, composition and dynamics. Disturbance is also evident in the ecology of TMF biota with clear examples of plant life-history traits adapted to disturbance, including disturbance-triggered germination, treefall gap strategies and resprouting ability. Important aspects of TMF disturbances are stochastic and site-specific, but there are broad patterns in disturbance type, frequency and severity along latitudinal, altitudinal and environmental gradients. Compared with the lowland tropics, TMF disturbances are more spatially structured, TMFs experience more disturbance types in a given area due to environmental complexity, and TMFs are much more prone to small-scale yet severe landslides as well the large and potentially catastrophic disturbances of cyclones, forest die-back and fire. On the whole, natural disturbance should assume a larger role in models of ecosystem processes and vegetation patterns in TMFs. An improved understanding of what creates variation in disturbance severity and post-disturbance recovery rates, how composition and diversity feedback on disturbance type and likelihood, and how global change will alter these dynamics are important priorities in future TMF ecology research.
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Visscher AM, Seal CE, Newton RJ, Frances AL, Pritchard HW. Dry seeds and environmental extremes: consequences for seed lifespan and germination. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2016; 43:656-668. [PMID: 32480494 DOI: 10.1071/fp15275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In the context of climate change, food security and long-term human space missions, it is important to understand which species produce seeds that can tolerate extreme environmental conditions. Here we consider dry seed survival of extreme conditions encountered in both natural and artificially controlled environments. Considerable overlap exists between the two: for example, ultra-dry and anoxic conditions can be artificially imposed during seed storage and also occur naturally in the vacuum of space environments. Aside from ultra-drying and anoxia, dry seeds of many species may experience extremely high temperatures due to heat from wildfires or when exposed to solar heat in biomes such as deserts. In addition, seeds can be irradiated by UV-A and UV-B at the surface of the Earth and by the shorter wavelengths of UV-C in outer space. We focus on the effects of these extreme environmental conditions on dry seed lifespan and germination. Although it is clear that seeds from particular plant species and families can tolerate exposures to ultra-drying, high temperatures (at least 32 families) or UV radiation with minimal consequences for subsequent germination ability, further research is needed to elucidate many of the mechanisms underlying extreme tolerance of these environmental conditions found on Earth or in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Visscher
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK
| | - Charlotte E Seal
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK
| | - Rosemary J Newton
- Department of Conservation Science, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK
| | - Alba Latorre Frances
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK
| | - Hugh W Pritchard
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK
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Robles-Díaz E, Flores J, Yáñez-Espinosa L. Paths of water entry and structures involved in the breaking of seed dormancy of Lupinus. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 192:75-80. [PMID: 26874334 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2016.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Physical dormancy is the water impermeability of the seed coat caused by one or more palisade cell layer(s) called macrosclereids. The specialised structure for water entry sites is the water gap, which serves as a detector of environmental cues for germination. In Fabaceae, the water gap is the lens, although another seed structure for water entry could exist. In this study, we identified the initial site of water entry, observed the hydration of a cushion-like structure near the radicle, described the anatomy of the water gap, and analysed the association of anatomical seed traits with the initial site of water entry and the imbibition velocity of six species of Lupinus from the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Dye tracking with a toluidine blue solution was used to identify the initial site of water entry. The anatomical description was performed using conventional microtechnique and a light microscope. The entry of the toluidine solution into seeds of L. montanus was observed after 6h, followed by L. exaltatus and L. mexicanus after 18h and L. elegans, L. reflexus and L. rotundiflorus after 48h. The site of water entry was the lens in L. elegans, L. exaltatus, L. reflexus and L. rotundiflorus and the micropyle in L. mexicanus and L. montanus. The cushion-like structure was responsible for water accumulation in embryo imbibition. Significant differences among anatomical seed traits such as thickness in the hilar region, the counter-palisade layer, cushion-like structure, epidermis, hypodermis, and innermost parenchyma layer were found among the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Robles-Díaz
- Programas Multidisciplinarios de Posgrado en Ciencias Ambientales. Instituto de Investigación de Zonas Desérticas. Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
| | - Joel Flores
- División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C., San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
| | - Laura Yáñez-Espinosa
- Programas Multidisciplinarios de Posgrado en Ciencias Ambientales. Instituto de Investigación de Zonas Desérticas. Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
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Vandvik V, Töpper JP, Cook Z, Daws MI, Heegaard E, Måren IE, Velle LG. Management-driven evolution in a domesticated ecosystem. Biol Lett 2014; 10:20131082. [PMID: 24522633 PMCID: PMC3949377 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.1082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Millennia of human land-use have resulted in the widespread occurrence of what have been coined ‘domesticated ecosystems’. The anthropogenic imprints on diversity, composition, structure and functioning of such systems are well documented. However, evolutionary consequences of human activities in these ecosystems are enigmatic. Calluna vulgaris (L.) is a keystone species of coastal heathlands in northwest Europe, an ancient semi-natural landscape of considerable conservation interest. Like many species from naturally fire-prone ecosystems, Calluna shows smoke-adapted germination, but it is unclear whether this trait arose prior to the development of these semi-natural landscapes or is an evolutionary response to the anthropogenic fire regime. We show that smoke-induced germination in Calluna is found in populations from traditionally burnt coastal heathlands but is lacking in naturally occurring populations from other habitats with infrequent natural fires. Our study thus demonstrates evolutionary imprints of human land-use in semi-natural ecosystems. Evolutionary consequences of historic anthropogenic impacts on wildlife have been understudied, but understanding these consequences is necessary for informed conservation and ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vigdis Vandvik
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, , Bergen, Norway
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Hirsch H, Wypior C, von Wehrden H, Wesche K, Renison D, Hensen I. Germination performance of native and non-native Ulmus pumila populations. NEOBIOTA 2012. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.15.4057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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