Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Seeds as a source of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus for seedling establishment in temperate regions: A synthesis

    194666_101056_AJPS_2013053014180755_1_.pdf (1.054Mb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Lamont, Byron
    Groom, Philip
    Date
    2013
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Lamont, Byron B. and Groom, Philip K. 2013. Seeds as a source of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus for seedling establishment in temperate regions: A synthesis. American Journal of Plant Sciences. 4 (5A): pp. 30-40.
    Source Title
    American Journal of Plant Sciences
    DOI
    10.4236/ajps.2013.45A005
    ISSN
    2158-2742
    Remarks

    Copyright © 2013 Byron B. Lamont, Philip K. Groom. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46778
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Seeds are a source of organic (carbon, C) and mineral (nitrogen, N and phosphorus, P) nutrients for the growing seedling. There is much information on seed mass and N and P contents, and the relationship between these and seedling mass. Within the world’s temperate regions, these collectively show that N and P concentrations remain constant or rise with increase in seed mass and that seeds are larger and more nutrient-enriched in poorer soils. Seed N and P were more important than seed C in accounting for seedling mass in 85% of studies we assessed. In nutrient- and water-limited environments that are not light-limited, large seeds routinely provision the seedling with N and P that enhance C-fixation and thus general growth in the first wet season. This system is so efficient that growth response to soil nutrients may be negligible in first-year seedlings arising from seeds > 15 mg mass, N content > 5 mg and P content > 1.6 mg. The elongating taproot system absorbs nutrients and maintains water uptake as soil water retreats, enhancing the chances of survival in the first dry season. We outline an interpretative scenario for the special role of large seeds (>15 mg) in nutrient- and water-limited environments that recognizes the critical role of N and P for photosynthesis in ensuring sufficient C-supply to the rapidly descending roots for effective drought-avoidance by the young plant.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Green cotyledons of two Hakea species control seedling mass and morphology by supplying mineral nutrients rather than organic compounds
      Lamont, Byron; Groom, Philip (2002)
      •Hakea species dominate shrubby vegetation on seasonally dry, nutrient impoverished soils in Australia. We hypothesized that the exposed cotyledons control growth of the young seedling by providing it with mineral nutrients ...
    • Ecological study of plant species at Sandford Rocks Nature Reserve (SRNR)
      Gaol, Mangadas Lumban (2002)
      The ecology of plant species at Sandford Rocks Nature Reserve (SRNR) was studied. The study site is an important nature reserve that contains relatively undisturbed natural vegetation. It has a mosaic of exposed granite ...
    • Ecology and ecophysiology of southwestern Australian hakea species with contrasting leaf morphology and life forms.
      Groom, Philip K. (1996)
      Members of the genus Hakea (Proteaceae) are sclerophyllous, evergreen perennial shrubs or small trees endemic to Australia, with 65% of species confined to the South-West Botanical Province (southwestern Australia). ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.