Abstract
Spore banks can facilitate germination and establishment of gametophytes at any ecologically appropriate time and promote the persistence and coexistence of fern species. However, previous studies of fern spore banks have either failed to assess their viability or found that they persist less than six months. Therefore, the ability of tropical ferns to form persistent spore banks with a viability of over one year is unknown. Using recently collected spores of six species of terrestrial ferns from a Mexican cloud forest, we evaluated the effect of storage (in situ in forest soil and ex situ in vials under refrigeration at 5°C), canopy openness (open and closed forest), soil depth (0 and 10 cm), and time (3, 6, and 15 months) on spore germination. Spore germination of all species ranged between 33% and 77% after 15 months of burial in the soil. Except for the invasive fern Macrothelypteris torresiana, spore germination of stored samples in situ was higher than laboratory samples under refrigeration. Spore germination of Cyathea divergens, M. torresiana, and Lophosoria quadripinnata deposited at 10 cm soil depth was higher in the open, while those of Cyathea bicrenata and Parablechnum schiedeanum in the closed and those of Austroblechnum wardiae were unaffected by canopy openness. Spores deposited at 10 cm depth of three species for which enough were obtained had higher germination than those deposited on the soil surface. This work provides the first evidence of the existence of a persistent spore bank in tropical ferns.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
All six fern species germinated at 33% to 77% after 15 months buried in soil.
- Taxon
- FernsPolypodiopsidat0
- Outcome
- Spore germinatione0
- Value
- 33% and 77%e0
- Qualifier
- after 15 months of burial in the soile0
Verbatim
e0“Spore germination of all species ranged between 33% and 77% after 15 months of burial in the soil.”
t0“Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
In situ storage yielded higher germination than refrigerated laboratory storage except in M. torresiana.
Verbatim
e0“Except for the invasive fern Macrothelypteris torresiana, spore germination of stored samples in situ was higher than laboratory samples under refrigeration.”
t0“Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
At 10 cm depth, Cyathea divergens germinated more in open than closed forest.
- Taxon
- Cyathea divergens
Cyathea divergense0 - Treatment
- opene0
- Outcome
- Spore germination of Cyathea divergense0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- 10 cm soil depthe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Spore germination of Cyathea divergens, M. torresiana, and Lophosoria quadripinnata deposited at 10 cm soil depth was higher in the open”
t0“Effect of Canopy Openness and Soil Depth on the Persistent Spore Bank of Cloud Forest Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
At 10 cm depth, M. torresiana germinated more in open than closed forest.
- Taxon
- M. torresiana
Macrothelypteris torresianae0 - Treatment
- opene0
- Outcome
- Spore germinatione0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- 10 cm soil depthe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Spore germination of Cyathea divergens, M. torresiana, and Lophosoria quadripinnata deposited at 10 cm soil depth was higher in the open”
t0“Effect of Canopy Openness and Soil Depth on the Persistent Spore Bank of Cloud Forest Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
At 10 cm depth, Lophosoria quadripinnata germinated more in open than closed forest.
- Taxon
- Lophosoria quadripinnata
Lophosoria quadripinnatae0 - Treatment
- opene0
- Outcome
- Spore germinatione0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- 10 cm soil depthe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Spore germination of Cyathea divergens, M. torresiana, and Lophosoria quadripinnata deposited at 10 cm soil depth was higher in the open”
t0“Effect of Canopy Openness and Soil Depth on the Persistent Spore Bank of Cloud Forest Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
At 10 cm depth, Cyathea bicrenata germinated more in closed forest.
- Taxon
- Cyathea bicrenataCyathea bicrenatae0
- Treatment
- closede0
- Outcome
- those of Cyathea bicrenatae0
- Direction
- higherinferrede0
Not reportedComparatorQualifier
Verbatim
e0“those of Cyathea bicrenata and Parablechnum schiedeanum in the closed”
t0“Effect of Canopy Openness and Soil Depth on the Persistent Spore Bank of Cloud Forest Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
At 10 cm depth, Parablechnum schiedeanum germinated more in closed forest.
- Taxon
- Parablechnum schiedeanumParablechnum schiedeanume0
- Treatment
- closede0
- Outcome
- those of Cyathea bicrenata and Parablechnum schiedeanume0
- Direction
- higherinferrede0
Not reportedComparatorQualifier
Verbatim
e0“those of Cyathea bicrenata and Parablechnum schiedeanum in the closed”
t0“Effect of Canopy Openness and Soil Depth on the Persistent Spore Bank of Cloud Forest Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
Austroblechnum wardiae germination was unaffected by canopy openness.
- Taxon
- Austroblechnum wardiaeAustroblechnum wardiaee0
- Treatment
- canopy opennesse0
- Outcome
- those of Austroblechnum wardiaee0
- Direction
- unaffectede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“those of Austroblechnum wardiae were unaffected by canopy openness.”
t0“Effect of Canopy Openness and Soil Depth on the Persistent Spore Bank of Cloud Forest Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
For three species, spores buried at 10 cm germinated more than surface spores.
Verbatim
e0“Spores deposited at 10 cm depth of three species for which enough were obtained had higher germination than those deposited on the soil surface.”
t0“Ferns”
Claim · model-written summary
The study found a persistent spore bank in tropical ferns.
Verbatim
e0“This work provides the first evidence of the existence of a persistent spore bank in tropical ferns.”