Identification of germination patterns controlling the zonation in coastal sand dune vegetation

摘要

The characteristic zonation observed worldwide in dune ecosystems( Figure 1) relies in factors such as temperature, salinity, water availability or sand burial, all directly related to the distance to the sea. Germination is one of the earliest and most sensitive plant life-stages and the success of this phase will ensure the development of dune vegetation. Donohue et al (2010) highlighted the relevance of this phase as the first phenotypic character expressed by plants, with several consequences forthe evolution of postgermination traits, ecological niches and geographic range.