PATTERNS OF SEED LONGEVITY AND GERMINATION IN THE TROPICAL RAIN-FOREST

Tropical rainforest plants produce seeds showing a wide range of sizes, shapes, structures, chemical composition, water content, dormancy mechanisms, and patterns of longevity. Prompt germination seems to be the most common behavior, although there are many cases where germination is delayed by a hard coat or endogenous or enforced dormancy mechanisms. Some gap colonizers show sophisticated light or temperature regulated dormancy. Most rainforest seeds remain alive for a short time in the soil, even those that form part of the soil seed bank.