Arid Zone Research ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5): 821-829.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2024.05.10

• Plant Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of different habitats and substrates on seed germination and seedling growth of Malus sieversii after passing through digestive tract of cattle

BAI Shilin(), LYU Yaya, SHI Xiaojun()   

  1. Xinjiang Key Laboratory for Ecological Adaptation and Evolution of Extreme Environment Biology, College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2023-11-01 Revised:2024-03-12 Online:2024-05-15 Published:2024-05-29

Abstract:

This study aimed to reveal the effects of different habitats and substrates on seed germination and seedling growth of Malus sieversii after passing through digestive tract of cattle. A controlled experiment was set up in field based on the different habitats and substrates in which seeds were deposited after passing through the digestive tract of cattle. The three habitats were as follows: forest edges, gaps, and understory. The four treatments were as follows: W (seeds through digestive tract+intact feces), P (seeds through digestive tract+broken feces), T (seeds through digestive tract+soil), and control C (seeds not through digestive tract+soil). The results showed that: The seed germination rates, seedling survival rate, and seedling biomass of M. sieversii were significantly different (P<0.05) in different habitats and treatments. In the forest edge habitat, seeds germinated rate was higher in soil substrate compared to fecal substrate, while the gaps and understory habitats showed the opposite trend. Seedling survival rate was significantly higher in the forest edge and gaps habitats compared to the understory habitat. Under the same treatment, seedling biomass was higher in the forest edge compared to the gaps, and higher in the gaps compared to the understory. Within the same habitat, seedling biomass from fecal substrate in forest edge and gap habitats surpassed that of soil substrate. The study revealed that the heterogeneity of habitat and substrate is the main reason that affects the seed germination and seedling establishment of M. sieversii after passing through digestive tract of cattle.

Key words: Malus sieversii, endozoochory, habitats, substrate, seed germination, seedling growth