PATTERNS OF SEED LONGEVITY AND GERMINATION IN THE TROPICAL RAIN-FOREST

Tropical rainforest plants produce seeds showing a wide range of sizes , shapes, structures, chemical composition, water content, dormancy me chanisms, and patterns of longevity. Prompt germination seems to be th e most common behavior, although there are many cases where germinatio n is delayed by a hard coat or endogenous or enforced dormancy mechani sms. Some gap colonizers show sophisticated light or temperature regul ated dormancy. Most rainforest seeds remain alive for a short time in the soil, even those that form part of the soil seed bank.