Germination Characteristics Of 89 Poaceae Sp-ecies From The Eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Of China And Their Life History Correlate

A vast amount of information related to germination of Poaceae plants has accumulated, but the studies reported on seed germination and dormancy community were done just about the affections of temperature, altitude, habitat or seed size. However there was rare investigation on effects of light. Thus, we investigated the seeds germination of 89 Poaceae species in an alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau, which might be the important supplement to the field on inter-specific seed germinability. In this experiment,the effects of environment factors(altitude, habitat, light intensities)and life history characters (seed size, life form, life history, root, dispersal mode) on seed germination were investigated.The results showed:1) Results of one-way ANOVA showed that under different altitude significant difference existed in germination percent, delay germination time, mean germination time. There was significant positive correlation between altitude and germination percent, and there existed significant negative correlation between altitude and mean germination time.2) Germination percent existed significant difference among different habitat, habitat contribute 3% variation in germination percent,0.5% variation in delay germination time, 1.3% variation in mean germination time.3) Results of Correlation analysis showed that light intensity existed significant positive correlation with mean germination time. The light only influenced the process of germination.4) Seed size had the greatest contribution to the variation in germination percent(14%), and seed size could explain 5.4% of the variation in delay germination time and 3% of the variation in mean germination time.5) Germination percent of perennial was significantly higher than that of annual. Life history could explain 5.9% of the variation in germination percent. Life history as an intrinsic character effected the germination of Poaceae.6) Life form significant affected the germination percent of Poaceae. Life form could explain 5.4% of the variation in germination percent.7) Root significant affected the germination percent of Poaceae. Species with short root had higher germination percent and earlier germination time.8) Results of one-way ANOVA showed that significant difference existed in germination percent, delay germination time, mean germination time among dispersal mode. Dispersal mode had greater contribution to the variation in germination percent(10.2%).In summary, in this study we found there existed intrinsic association between seed germination and life history characters. Seed germination of Poaceae in the alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau was affected by life-history characters and environment factors.The ecological and phylogenetic factors should be taken into account when we discussed the difference of species.