全 文 ： 种子生态学专辑评述
Review on Special Issue of Seed Ecology
Beginning in 2005, it has been our pleasure to visit China nine times and to meet many scientists who study seeds.
Thus, we have become aware not only of a large number of people in China who study seeds but also of the great diver-
sity in research interests and approaches to the study of seed biology, including both applied and basic research. When
Dr. Zhen-Ying Huang began to prepare a special issue of the Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology related to seeds, we were
very happy that he decided to use the issue as a way to introduce people to the seed research being done in China.
The issue contains papers on many interesting topics related to seed biology, and we will briefly mention each of
them. Han et al. reviews the potential for using seeds for seagrass restoration, and Zhang M et al. summarize relationship
between seed germination and light attributes, a coupling of light and water/temperature and phytochromes and also the
physiological reaction and light signal transduction mechanisms for regulation of germination by phytochromes. Yu and
Fang review the “seed geography” theory and summarize research and several hypotheses related to it. Results are re-
ported from studies on the spatiotemporal dynamics of seed dispersal in Betula alnoides (Guo et al.), Fagus lucida (Xu et
al.) and Ulmus macrocarpa (Yang YF et al.) and on seed rain in a subtropical evergreen forest (Du and Ma). Variation in
fruit, seed and germination characteristics for five populations of the rare and endemic legume Eremosparton songoricum
are reported by Liu et al.
The effects of cold stratification and dry storage on dormancy-break of seeds of eight desert species from the Hexi
Corridor are reported by Wang JH et al., and the effects of cold stratification and scarification on dormancy-break of black
and brown seeds of the seed-dimorphic desert halophyte Suaeda corniculata are reported by Yang F et al. A compatible
mycorrhizal fungus that promotes germination of seeds of the orchid Cymbidium mannii was found and identified as a
strain of Epulorhiza by Sheng et al. Hu et al. report results of a study in which the thermal-time model was used to predict
germination response in seeds of four species of Vicia in which physical dormancy had been broken. An investigation by
Ma et al. found that seeds of the grass Leymus chinensis germinated better at alternating than at constant temperatures.
Results from studies on effects climate change on seedling emergence of Quercus mongolica by Dong and Sang.
Zhang HX et al. presents a model of the osmotic and ionic effects of salt on germination of barley seeds. The desiccation
sensitivity of the recalcitrant seeds of Clausena lansium was related to changes in respiratory rate and reactive oxygen
species scavenging enzyme activity of mitochondria in a study by Wang WQ et al.
Tang and Liu report on seed banks of sand dunes and Wang GD et al. on seed banks of restored wetlands. An in-
vestigation on the effects of burial depth and duration on dormancy break and seed bank dynamics of Lespedeza po-
tanimii, Nitraria tangutorum and Peganum nigellastrum is reported by Wang YR et al. Using a study-set of 206 species,
Chen et al. found a negative relationship between seed mass and phylogeny and a positive relationship between seed
mass and life form. In a paper by Shen et al., we learn that height and biomass of plants resulting from seeds that had
been in the soil seed bank for 1 or 3 years were less (but generally not significantly so) than those of plants resulting from
fresh seeds of Ageratina (Eupatorium) adenophorum. Zou et al. present results from studies on the diversity of indigenous
bacteria in seeds of Oryza sativa, and (finally) Yan et al. the effects of cotyledon predation by rodents on seedling survival
and early growth of Quercus wutaishanica.
As evidenced by the number and subject-diversity of papers in this issue, much very interesting and wide-ranging
seed research is being conducted in China. However, it should be noted that the papers presented here represent only a
small sample of the work being done. In fact, this issue could not accommodate all the manuscripts submitted for publi-
cation.
This special issue on seed research provides a sample for people from around the world of the current seed biology
research in China. All the papers are in Chinese, but abstracts as well as captions to tables and figures are in English.
Thus, this special issue of the Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology should facilitate and encourage national as well as
international cooperation and communication on seed research. Further, in June 2013, the Fourth International Seed
Ecology Meeting will be held in China. This special issue will serve the important function of introducing visiting seed
biologists from many countries to some of the rich diversity of seed research being done in China.

Carol C. Baskin

Jerry M. Baskin


Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0225, USA

摘要: 通过多次到中国学术访问, 得知许多中国学者围绕植物种子在基础研究和应用领域开展了多学科的研究。此次《植物
生态学报》种子生态学专辑将向读者集中介绍中国学者在种子生态学这一有趣专题的研究进展。该专辑刊登了23篇论文, 包
括19篇研究论文和4篇综述论文, 涉及种子传播、种子性状、种子休眠和萌发、土壤种子库以及幼苗生长对变化环境的响应
等多方面的研究内容, 我们对这些论文进行了简单的评述。由于篇幅的限制, 该专辑所刊登出的论文只是当前中国学者对植
物种子多方面研究的一小部分内容。该专辑的刊出将为国内外学者对种子研究的合作交流提供便利, 也将向参加中国2013年
第四届国际种子生态学学术研讨会的国内外专家介绍中国学者在种子生态学等领域的研究现状。