Application of a Thermal Gradient Bar to the Study of Germination Patterns in Successional Herbs
- 1 January 1967
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JSTOR in The American Midland Naturalist
- Vol. 77 (1) , 86-+
- https://doi.org/10.2307/2423428
Abstract
A thermal gradient bar was used to investigate the germination temperature optima (GTO) for various successional herbs. Four species of Plantago were investigated P. major and P. rugelii had a GTO of about 28 C, whereas P. aristata and P. virginica showed a GTO of about 16 C. These optima were correlated with germination patterns in the field. The first pair normally germinates in early summer at relatively high mean surface soil temperatures; the second pair germinates in fall at low mean surface soil temperatures. The thermal gradient bar appears to be a useful tool in dealing with these relations of phenology and physiology.This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Untersuchungen über den Temperatursinn einiger InsektenJournal of Comparative Physiology A, 1924