Data: Adaptive Seedling Strategies in Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests: A Comparative Study of Six Tree Species
Description
This dataset contains information about the morphofunctional traits of seeds and seedlings from six common tree species of the Ecuadorian seasonally dry tropical forests. It includes detailed individual data on seed weight (g), germination rate (days from sowing); root/shoot ratio, and seedling growth rate.
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Our study focused on the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest (SDTF) in the Tumbesian biogeographic region, a global endemism hotspot threatened by human activity. We collected fruits from Paltas, Catamayo, and Zapotillo between July 2016 and January 2017, monitoring at least five individuals per species. Only mature, undamaged seeds were selected, and at least 100 viable seeds per species were randomly chosen for germination and early development tests. Morphological traits such as weight, length, width, and thickness were recorded. For Centrolobium ochroxylum, measurements included the entire seed chamber due to its structure. Seeds were disinfected, soaked, and planted in a peat-based substrate under controlled conditions. Germination was noted when the radicle appeared. Seedling growth was measured twice weekly, continuing until they developed three to six leaves. Once removed from the substrate, seedlings were divided into root and shoot sections, which were measured, dried, and weighed to calculate the root-to-shoot dry weight ratio as an indicator of biomass allocation.