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Shiro TSUYUZAKI
Plant community ecology / Environmental conservation

Mount Usu / Sarobetsu post-mined peatland
From left: Crater basin in 1986 and 2006. Cottongrass / Daylily

(First update on March 11 2005. Last on September 20 2010)

Seed germination

Terminology

Seed: Fertilized ovules of a flowering plant.
Germination: The initiation of embryo growth and seedling development.
Dormant seed: Viable seed in a non-germinable condition due to internal and/or external barriers, e.g., hard seed coat, water defficiency, and no light.

Induction techniques on seed germination

Cold stratification

Keeping seed in a cool, moist environment for a period of time to simulate overwintering

Heat

Smoke
A few photos on seeds

Juncus effusus var. decipiens
Polygonum weyrichii

Test Test
Seed germination exeriment conducted in a greenhouse. The samples were collected from the former topsoil on Mount Usu 20 (left) and 30 (right) years after the 1977-78 eruptions. The most common species was Rumex obtusifolius (Left: Goto M. Right: ST).

References
  • growth stage
  • seedbank
  • seed dormancy
  • Tsuyuzaki, S. & Miyoshi, C. 2009. Effects of smoke, heat, darkness and cold stratification on seed germination of 40 species in a cool temperate zone, northern Japan. Plant Biology 11: 369-378

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