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Evolutionary considerations of claims for physical dormancy-break by microbial action and abrasion by soil particles†

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Jerry M. Baskin  and
Carol C. Baskin
Jerry M. Baskin*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506–0225, USA
Carol C. Baskin
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506–0225, USA Department of Agronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546–0091, USA
*
*Correspondence Fax: 859–257–1717 Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Books and review articles in various areas of ecology and seed and plant biology continue to report that dormancy-break in seeds (and fruits) with water-impermeable coats (i.e. physical dormancy) occurs via soil-microbial action and/or abrasion by soil particles. However, there is little evidence in the scientific literature to support these assumptions, which, in fact, do not make good evolutionary sense for two related reasons. First, several types of anatomically specialized water-restriction structures have evolved as part of the seed or fruit coat of taxa with physical dormancy. These structures act as ‘signal detectors’ of physical-environmental changes that cause seeds (and fruits) to become water-permeable only at these sites, in seasons and habitats in which there is a good chance that some seedlings will become established. Second, seed (and fruit) coat breakdown by microbial action or by abrasion likely would occur in seasons and habitats in which seedlings could not survive, thus lowering the fitness (λ) of the plant taxa in question.

Keywords

abrasion and physical dormancyevolution and physical dormancymicrobes and physical dormancysignal detectors and physical dormancy
Type
Research Opinion
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , December 2000 , pp. 409 - 413
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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Footnotes

†

This Research Opinion is open to discussion and comment from readers through the Journal's Correspondence section.

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