Effect of temperatures that simulate fire on seed germination in a tropical dry forest

Abstract

Fire is a recurring, but poorly studied disturbance in tropical dry forests, where seeds are the main source of regeneration. In this study, we measured seed germination of eight Colombian dry forest tree species under elevated temperature treatments that simulated fires of low (100°C) and high intensity (200°C) with different exposure times (5 and 15 minutes). We found that the factor that best explained seed germination was temperature, while time was not significant. Seven species germinated similarly under the treatment of 100°C and under the control, while seed germination under 200°C was almost null. These results suggest that the seeds of some dry forest species have tolerance to moderate fires, however, most seeds would perish under high intensity of fires.