GERMINATION AND GROWTH OF BIRD‐DISPERSED PLANTS: EFFECTS OF SEED SIZE AND LIGHT ON SEEDLING VIGOR AND BIOMASS ALLOCATION

Abstract

I examined germination and seedling growth in nine species of fleshy‐fruited plants from Washington and Idaho to assess their relative responses to sun and shade. I allowed seeds to germinate over a period of 500 days, and grew the seedlings in a greenhouse for 35 days prior to harvest. Cumulative percentage germination of six species approximated logistic curves. Species with larger seeds were more shade‐tolerant, which resulted largely from greater biomass allocation to roots by these species. Seedlings of Rosa gymnocarpa, Sorbus scopulina, Symphoricarpos albus, Clintonia uniflora, and Streptopus amplexifolius grew larger in open sun than in shade (35% open sun), whereas those of Actaea rubra, Disporum trachycarpum, Smilacina racemosa, and Smilacina stellata showed no differences. Percentage root biomass was higher in sun than in shade for R. gymnocarpa, S. scopulina, S. albus, C. uniflora, and S. amplexifolius, but lower for S. stellata. In C. uniflora, S. racemosa, and S. stellata, seeds from unripe fruits failed to germinate. The results suggest that light gaps resulting from periodic disturbance of canopy influence recruitment of bird‐dispersed species differentially and thereby contribute to maintaining high species richness and diversity in understories of temperate coniferous forests.