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Annals of Botany 89: 427-434, 2002
© 2002 Annals of Botany Company

Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Seed Dispersal in Two Cistus Species (Cistaceae)

FERNANDO BASTIDA*,1 and SALVADOR TALAVERA2

1Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Huelva, Ctra. Palos s/n, 21819 Palos de la Frontera, Huelva and 2Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo. 1095, 41080 Sevilla, Spain

* For correspondence. Fax: +34 959 017304, e-mail bastida{at}uhu.es

Received: 23 August 2001; Returned for revision: 26 October 2001; Accepted: 2 January 2002.

Cistus species are obligate seeding, early colonizers that follow disturbance, particularly fire, in Mediterranean ecosystems. We studied seed release, seed dispersal and soil seed populations in stands of Cistus ladanifer and C. libanotis. Seed release started in mid- to late summer (C. ladanifer) or in early autumn (C. libanotis), and continued for a very extended period: 8–10 months in C. ladanifer, and for a mean of 16 months in C. libanotis. The xerochastic capsules of both species released seeds by successive dehiscence of the locules. All capsules begin to dehisce simultaneously at the start of the seed release period, but in C. libanotis capsule fragmentation replaced dehiscence early in the seed release period. In plants of both species, seed shadows were characterized by a peak of density beneath the plant canopy and a very short tail of much lower densities, indicating that seeds are concentrated beneath mother plants when dispersed. Nevertheless, in late May, at the onset of the fire season, soil seed densities beneath plant canopies were low compared with densities expected from seed shadows, but were apparently high enough to allow recovery of the stands if a disturbance, such as fire, had taken place. Seed-eating Bruchidae in summer and granivorous ants during the seed release period were apparently the main causes of seed losses. Results suggest that in both Cistus species, the staggered seed release could constitute an efficient risk-reducing trait. The plant pool of seeds existing throughout most of the year could be a relevant component of Cistus seed banks.

Key words: Cistus ladanifer, Cistus libanotis, seed dispersal, seed bank, seed release, seed shadow.


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