LB 27-278 - Effects of plant-derived smoke on seed germination in New England, USA

Thursday, August 18, 2022

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

Located in: ESA Exhibit Hall

Presenting Author(s)

Alexis Doshas, MS in Conservation Biology

Nursery Manager
Native Plant Trust
Whately, Massachusetts, United States

Coauthor(s)

JF

Jessamine Finch, PhD

Research Botanist
Native Plant Trust, United States
EF

Emily Fusco, PhD candidate

Post- doc
University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States
MK

Molly Krossfik

Undergraduate student
Framingham State University, United States
GL

George LoCascio, MS in Conservation Biology

Assistant Professor
Mount Wachusett Community College, United States

Background/Question/Methods:

Since the early 1990s, increased research on the impact of plant-derived smoke on seed germination has critically advanced ecological restoration efforts across the globe. However, studies to date have largely focused on geographic regions dominated by fire, such as Western Australia, South Africa, and the western United States. A growing body of literature documents smoke-responsive seed outside of traditional fire-reliant landscapes, such as grassland and heathlands, which are found in the coastal regions of New England. Due to a dearth of research on this topic, an interdisciplinary group assembled a framework and pilot procedure for evaluating germination treatments with variable smoke water concentrations and fuel sources. Wild seed of representative grassland and heathland species were collected and treated with smoke water dilutions and monitored for germination under ideal laboratory conditions.

Results/Conclusions:

Thus far we have evaluated 11 native species (4 grasses, 2 perennial forbs, 5 shrub) and 2 non-native shrub species, which demonstrate variable sensitivity to fuel sources, smoke concentration, and exposure method (agar, 24hr soak). As compared to control (plain water agar), germination responded positively to 24 hour soak in smoke water (fuel = native mix) for native species Andropogon glomeratus (optimal = 20% dilution), Vaccinium angustifolium (1%), and Solidago canadensis (20%) and non-native Berberis thunbergii (10%). Optimal germination of Andropogon virginicus was achieved on 1% smoke water agar, however plating on smoke water suppressed germination in Andropogon glomeratus. Two species appear unresponsive to smoke water , Panicum virgatum and Vaccinium corymbosum. Future work will expand the taxonomic scope, with the aim of evaluating native and non-native functional analogs when exposed to smoke water derived from fires fueled by conspecific and heterospecific (analog) plant tissues. Early results show potential for taxon-specific seed priming and/or site application to suppress or stimulate germination of specific taxa, as well as general auditing of the soil seed bank.