HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (34) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Simons, A. M. Articles by Johnston, M. O. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Simons, A. M. Articles by Johnston, M. O. Agricola Articles by Simons, A. M. Articles by Johnston, M. O.

Variation in seed traits of Lobelia inflata (Campanulaceae): sources and fitness consequences¹

⁰ Department of Biology, Life Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4J1

ABSTRACT

Seed germination constitutes an important event in the life cycle of plants. Two related seed traits affect fitness: seed size and the timing of seed germination. In three sets of experiments, we (1) partition the sources of seed-size variance in Lobelia inflata into components attributable to fruit size, relative fruit position, and parental identity; (2) examine the influence of pregermination conditions and seed size on time to germination; and (3) assess the fitness consequences of seed size and germination timing under seminatural, harsh conditions. Seed-size variance is attributable to both parental identity and fruit position within an individual. Distal fruits produce larger but fewer seeds. No significant correlation exists between fruit size and seed size, but a trade-off is found between the number and size of seeds contained in a fruit after correcting for fruit size. The timing of germination is influenced by seed size, light conditions before winter, and winter duration. Germination timing influences survival, and despite small seed size in this species (2 x 10 g/seed), seed size has a persistent and significant association with both final plant size and the probability of survival to autumn.

Key Words: Campanulaceae • fitness • fruit size • germination • Lobelia inflata • rosette • seed number • seed size • survival

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. L. Halpern Sources and consequences of seed size variation in Lupinus perennis (Fabaceae): adaptive and non-adaptive hypotheses Am. J. Botany, February 1, 2005; 92(2): 205 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. PARISOD, C. TRIPPI, and N. GALLAND Genetic Variability and Founder Effect in the Pitcher Plant Sarracenia purpurea (Sarraceniaceae) in Populations Introduced into Switzerland: from Inbreeding to Invasion Ann. Bot., January 2, 2005; 95(2): 277 - 286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Schweitzer, G. D. Martinsen, and T. G. Whitham Cottonwood hybrids gain fitness traits of both parents: a mechanism for theirlong-term persistence? Am. J. Botany, June 1, 2002; 89(6): 981 - 990. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]