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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/127351
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | A research agenda for seed-trait functional ecology |
Author: | Saatkamp, A. Cochrane, A. Commander, L. Guja, L.K. Jimenez-Alfaro, B. Larson, J. Nicotra, A. Poschlod, P. Silveira, F.A.O. Cross, A.T. Dalziell, E.L. Dickie, J. Erickson, T.E. Fidelis, A. Fuchs, A. Golos, P.J. Hope, M. Lewandrowski, W. Merritt, D.J. Miller, B.P. et al. |
Citation: | New Phytologist, 2019; 221(4):1764-1775 |
Publisher: | New Phytologist Trust |
Issue Date: | 2019 |
ISSN: | 0028-646X 1469-8137 |
Statement of Responsibility: | Arne Saatkamp, Anne Cochrane, Lucy Commander, Lydia K. Guja, Borja Jimenez‐Alfaro ... Sean Tomlinson ... et al. |
Abstract: | Trait-based approaches have improved our understanding of plant evolution, community assembly and ecosystem functioning. A major challenge for the upcoming decades is to understand the functions and evolution of early life-history traits, across levels of organization and ecological strategies. Although a variety of seed traits are critical for dispersal, persistence, germination timing and seedling establishment, only seed mass has been considered systematically. Here we suggest broadening the range of morphological, physiological and biochemical seed traits to add new understanding on plant niches, population dynamics and community assembly. The diversity of seed traits and functions provides an important challenge that will require international collaboration in three areas of research. First, we present a conceptual framework for a seed ecological spectrum that builds upon current understanding of plant niches. We then lay the foundation for a seed-trait functional network, the establishment of which will underpin and facilitate trait-based inferences. Finally, we anticipate novel insights and challenges associated with incorporating diverse seed traits into predictive evolutionary ecology, community ecology and applied ecology. If the community invests in standardized seed-trait collection and the implementation of rigorous databases, major strides can be made at this exciting frontier of functional ecology. |
Keywords: | Seeds Conservation of Natural Resources Ecosystem Biodiversity Germination Databases, Factual Seed Dispersal Seedlings |
Rights: | © 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
DOI: | 10.1111/nph.15502 |
Published version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.15502 |
Appears in Collections: | Aurora harvest 8 Environment Institute publications |
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hdl_127351.pdf | Published version | 1.44 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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