Inconsistent relationships detected between seed size, shape and persistence for different plant functional groups in...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Botany
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Seed persistence is crucial for plant ecology and conservation.
• Identifying traits predicting seed persistence is vital due to data collection challenges.
• Previous studies on seed size, shape, and persistence show regional variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between seed mass, seed shape, and seed persistence in the Pannonian flora.
• To determine if these relationships differ across plant functional groups.
• To examine correlations between seed mass and shape within these groups.

Main Methods:

• Collected data on seed mass, persistence, and Seed Shape Index for 392 Pannonian species.
• Employed phylogenetic logistic regressions to analyze trait effects on persistence, accounting for phylogeny.
• Utilized PGLS regression to assess relationships between seed mass and shape.

Main Results:

• Both seed mass and Seed Shape Index were negatively correlated with seed persistence across all species.
• Seed mass showed a stronger negative association with persistence than seed shape.
• Relationships varied by functional group; only seed shape related to persistence in graminoids.

Conclusions:

• Seed mass and shape negatively impact persistence in the Pannonian flora, aligning with global findings.
• Graminoid species exhibit unique relationships, with seed shape being the primary predictor of persistence.
• Future research should consider analyzing graminoids separately to understand their specific persistence mechanisms.