Abstract
Summary We examined among‐ and within‐species effects of seed mass for seedling establishment from seed to 5 years of age in a field experiment at Paracou, French Guiana. Six seeds of each of eight species were weighed and planted into each of 120 plots (1 m 2 ) throughout closed‐canopy forest along 12 100‐m transects in 1998. We described the microhabitat of each planting site using principal components derived from measurements of light availability, soil moisture, carbon and nitrogen content, and soil phosphorus availability. Although both survival and relative growth rate (RGR) increased with increasing light availability, no other microhabitat variable significantly affected seedling performance. Nor did the magnitude of microhabitat effects on survival or RGR differ among species. Larger‐seeded species were more likely to survive from germination to 1 year as well as from 1 to 5 years of age. RGR for seedling height during the first year post‐germination was not related to seed mass, but smaller‐seeded species did grow slightly faster thereafter. Path analyses revealed that correlations between seed mass and performance were explained in part because larger seeds produced larger initial seedlings, which tended to survive better but grow more slowly. We also analysed within‐species effects of seed mass for the larger‐seeded Eperua grandiflora and Vouacapoua americana (both Caesalpiniaceae). Larger seeds produced larger seedlings in both species, but larger seeds survived better only for Eperua . Larger seedlings grew more slowly in both species, but did not offset the early ( Eperua ) and later ( Vouacapoua ) positive direct effects of seed mass on RGR that may represent contrasting strategies for reserve deployment. Our results demonstrate that seed size influences performance within and among species in part because of indirect effects of initial seedling size. However, we suggest that traits tightly correlated with seed mass at the species level, such as specific leaf area, leaf longevity and photosynthetic capacity, may also contribute to interspecific performance differences.
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Claims 17
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling survival increased with light availability.
Verbatim
e0“both survival and relative growth rate (RGR) increased with increasing light availability”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling relative growth rate increased with light availability.
Verbatim
e0“both survival and relative growth rate (RGR) increased with increasing light availability”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
No other microhabitat variable significantly affected seedling performance.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“no other microhabitat variable significantly affected seedling performance”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
The magnitude of microhabitat effects on survival and RGR did not differ among species.
Verbatim
e0“Nor did the magnitude of microhabitat effects on survival or RGR differ among species”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seeded species were more likely to survive from germination to one year.
Verbatim
e0“Larger‐seeded species were more likely to survive from germination to 1 year as well as from 1 to 5 years of age”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seeded species were more likely to survive from one to five years.
Verbatim
e0“Larger‐seeded species were more likely to survive from germination to 1 year as well as from 1 to 5 years of age”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
First year seedling height growth was unrelated to seed mass.
- Taxon
- treet0
- Organ / stage
- first year post‐germinatione0
- Outcome
- RGR for seedling heighte0
- Comparator
- seed masse0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“RGR for seedling height during the first year post‐germination was not related to seed mass”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Smaller seeded species grew slightly faster after the first year.
Verbatim
e0“smaller‐seeded species did grow slightly faster thereafter”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seeds produced larger initial seedlings, explaining part of the seed mass performance relationship.
Verbatim
e0“larger seeds produced larger initial seedlings, which tended to survive better but grow more slowly”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger initial seedlings tended to survive better.
Verbatim
e0“larger initial seedlings, which tended to survive better but grow more slowly”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger initial seedlings tended to grow more slowly.
Verbatim
e0“larger initial seedlings, which tended to survive better but grow more slowly”
t0“neotropical tree seedling establishment”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seeds produced larger seedlings in Eperua grandiflora.
- Taxon
- Eperua grandifloraEperua grandiflorat0
- Material
- Larger seedse0
- Outcome
- larger seedlingse0
- Direction
- largere0
Verbatim
e0“Larger seeds produced larger seedlings in both species”
t0“Eperua grandiflora and Vouacapoua americana”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seeds produced larger seedlings in Vouacapoua americana.
- Taxon
- Vouacapoua americanaAndira aubletiit0
- Material
- Larger seedse0
- Outcome
- larger seedlingse0
- Direction
- largere0
Verbatim
e0“Larger seeds produced larger seedlings in both species”
t0“Eperua grandiflora and Vouacapoua americana”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seeds survived better only in Eperua.
EperuaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“larger seeds survived better only for Eperua”
Claim · model-written summary
Larger seedlings grew more slowly in both species.
- Taxon
- Eperua grandifloraEperua grandiflorat0
- Material
- Larger seedlingse0
- Outcome
- grewe0
- Direction
- more slowlye0
Verbatim
e0“Larger seedlings grew more slowly in both species”
t0“Eperua grandiflora and Vouacapoua americana”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed mass had a positive direct effect on early RGR in Eperua.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“early ( Eperua ) and later ( Vouacapoua ) positive direct effects of seed mass on RGR”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed mass had a positive direct effect on later RGR in Vouacapoua.
Verbatim
e0“early ( Eperua ) and later ( Vouacapoua ) positive direct effects of seed mass on RGR”