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Article: Impacts of cotyledon removal on survival of blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima: rosaceae) seedlings.(Research Notes)
- Article from:
- Bulletin (Southern California Academy of Sciences)
- Article date:
- December 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Southern California Academy of Sciences. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
Despite the ecological importance of the regeneration stage of plant life histories (Grime 2001), some of the factors affecting seedling survival, including the interaction between seedlings and their herbivores, are not well-understood (Hanley and May 2006). Herbivory is a major cause of seedling mortality for many woody plant species (Hanley 1998; Moles and Westoby 2004; Fenner and Thompson 2005). The ability of seedlings to cope with herbivory is likely affected by seed size, the presence or absence of cotyledons, and the time elapsed since germination (Bonfil 1998).
Because seedlings of woody plant species are small, they can suffer ...