Article: Seed mass, seedling emergence, and environmental factors in seven rain forest Psychotoria (Rubiaceae).

INTRODUCTION

Offspring size plays a key role in the establishment of the juvenile phase of an organism's life cycle. In plants, seed mass can influence the probability of seedling establishment by affecting the distance to which seeds disperse, the likelihood that they will reach suitable habitats for germination, and the probability of early survival (Westoby et al. 1992). Several studies have observed that within populations large seed mass confers an advantage during at least one stage of the life cycle, principally under conditions where resources are scarce (Harper 1977, Silvertown 1989). Seedlings emerging from larger seeds often survive longer than those ...