Trace gas emissions and smoke induced seed germination
Keeley JE and Fotheringham CJ. 1997. Trace gas emissions and smoke induced seed germination. Science. 276(5316):1248 - 1250
Dormant seeds of a California chaparral annual were induced to germinate by smoke or vapors emitted from smoke treated sand or paper. Nitrogen oxides induced 100 percent germination in a manner similar to smoke. Smoke treated water samples inducing germination were comparable in acidity and concentration of nitrate and nitrate to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - treated samples. Vapors from smoke treated and NO2 treated filter paper had comparable NO2 flux rates. Chaparral wildfire generate sufficient nitrogen oxides from combustion of organic matter or from postfire biogenic nitrification to trigger germination of Emmenanthe penduliflora. Nitrogen oxide-triggered germination is not the result of changes in imbibition, as is the case with heat stimulated seeds.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Keeley, Jon; Fotheringham, C.
- Units
- SEKI
- Keywords
- Chaparral, Emmenanthe penduliflora, smoke induced seed germination, Vascular Plants, Wildfire