Eduardo Fernández Pascual

University of Oviedo | UNIOVI · Joint Research Unit for Biodiversity (UMIB)

Plant persistence and migration in face of climate change depends on successful reproduction by seed, a central aspect of plant life that drives population dynamics, community assembly and species distributions. Plant reproduction by seed is a chain of physiological processes, the rates of which are a function of temperature, and can be modelled us...

Assumptions about the germination ecology of alpine plants are presently based on individual species and local studies. A current challenge is to synthesise, at the global level, the alpine seed ecological spectrum. We performed a meta‐analysis of primary data from laboratory experiments conducted across four continents (excluding the tropics) and...

Background and Aims European mesic meadows are semi-natural open habitats of high biodiversity and an essential part of European landscapes. These species-rich communities can be a source of seed mixes for ecological restoration, urban greening and rewilding. However, limited knowledge of species germination traits is a bottleneck to the developmen...

We invite the community of plant scientists to join SeedArc by contributing primary data on seed germination from all over the world, regardless of the type of experiment conducted and the number of species tested. We offer data ownership and co-authorship rules that aim to support collaboration and attribution under an open science scheme. By cont...

Background and Aims Plant regeneration by seeds is driven by a set of physiological traits, many of which show functional intraspecific variation along biogeographic gradients. In many species, germination phenology depends on a germination delay imposed by the need for post-dispersal embryo growth (a.k.a. morphological dormancy). Such growth occur...

Ecological theory predicts that plant reproductive phenology in the Mediterranean regions is shaped by evolutionary processes driven by strong seasonality in precipitation–evaporation patterns. Thus, it can be expected that seed germination phenology has adapted to maximise recruitment during the season of highest water availability. Cold‐cued and...

Invasive alien species are an important component of global change, threatening biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, economy, and human health. The number of alien species that attain the invasive status has experienced an exponential increase in recent years, leading some government agencies and stakeholders to allocate substantial resources to ea...

Aims: (i) To classify forest habitat diversity in the Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion, a putative biodiversity refugium in Western Europe, and (ii) to evaluate how the distribution of functional and ecological habitat types is explained by climatic drivers. Location: Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion (northwestern Iberian Peninsula). Methods...

Cortaderia selloana (Schult. & Schult. f.) Asch. & Graebn. (Pampas grass) is a perennial grass native to temperate and subtropical regions of South America. The species was introduced to western Europe for ornamental purposes during the nineteenth century, where it has become naturalized in anthropogenic and natural habitats, especially in sandy, o...

Background and aims: Biological invasions are causing massive environmental, social, and economic impacts worldwide. Understanding the ecological factors that affect the regeneration of invasive plants is critical to develop action plans based on empirical biological evidence. In this study, we investigate ecological limits in the regeneration of C...

There is some evidence that seed traits can affect the long-term persistence of seeds in the soil. However, findings on this topic have differed between systems. Here, we brought together a worldwide database of seed persistence data for 1474 species to test the generality of seed mass–shape–persistence relationships. We found a significant trend f...

Seed germination is a crucial phase of plant responses in early life to current and future environmental conditions. However, germination data are still scarce or disaggregated for many plant lineages and regions, including global biodiversity hotspots such as the Mediterranean Basin. We present MedGermDB, the first germination database for charact...

Questions: In alpine landscapes, topography creates a mosaic of microclimatic niches that might prevent local extinctions, but the influence of this spatial heterogeneity on plant communities is largely unknown. Here we ask (1) how soil microclimatic variation is comparable at temporal and spatial scales, and (2) how such variation influences spe...

Predicting how seeds persist in the soil seed bank based on easy-to-measure traits is of prime importance to improve management strategies in grazing, farming, and species invasion. We found that seeds that are smaller and rounder are more likely to form persistent seed banks at a global scale, using the 1303 species. The relationship between seed...

Whereas temporal variability of plant phenology in response to climate change has already been well studied, the spatial variability of phenology is not well understood. Given that phenological shifts may affect biotic interactions, there is a need to investigate how the variability in environmental factors relates to the spatial variability in her...

Whereas temporal variability of plant phenology in response to climate change has already been well studied, the spatial variability of phenology is not well understood. Given that phenological shifts may affect the magnitude of biotic interactions, there is a need to investigate how the variability in environmental factors relates to the spatial v...

Understanding large‐scale drivers of biodiversity in palustrine wetlands is challenging due to the combined effects of macroclimate and local edaphic conditions. In boreal and temperate fen ecosystems, the influence of macroclimate on biodiversity is modulated by hydrological settings across habitats, making it difficult to assess their vulnerabili...

Seed dormancy maximizes plant recruitment in habitats with variation in environmental suitability for seedling establishment. Yet, we still lack a comprehensive synthesis of the macroecological drivers of nondormancy and the different classes of seed dormancy: physiological dormancy, morphophysiological dormancy and physical dormancy. We examined c...

The Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion, located in NW Iberian Peninsula, displays a great diversity of forest communities due to multiple drivers such as high climatic heterogeneity and the existence of glacial refugia, both enhanced by a complex topography. The ecoregion is dominated by broadleaved deciduous forests ranging from warm-temperate to...

Aims: To develop a consistent ecological indicator value system for Europe for five of the main plant niche dimensions: soil moisture (M), soil nitrogen (N), soil reaction (R), light (L) and temperature (T). Study area: Europe (and closely adjacent regions). Methods: We identified 31 indicator value systems for vascular plants in Europe that contai...

Aims Ellenberg-type indicator values are expert-based rankings of plant species according to their ecological optima on main environmental gradients. Here we extend the indicator-value system proposed by Heinz Ellenberg and co-authors for Central Europe by incorporating other systems of Ellenberg-type indicator values (i.e., those using scales comp...

Despite the importance of secondary dormancy for plant life cycle timing and survival, there is insufficient knowledge about the (epigenetic) regulation of this trait at the molecular level. Our aim was to determine the role of (epi)genetic processes in the regulation of secondary seed dormancy using natural genotypes of the widely distributed Caps...

Background Plant seeds have many traits that influence ecological functions, ex situ conservation, restoration success and their sustainable use. Several seed traits are already known to vary significantly between tropical and temperate regions. Here we present three additional traits for which existing data indicate differences between geographica...

Mesoscale heterogeneity of alpine landscapes generates snowmelt gradients resulting in a distinct vegetation zonation from almost snow-free fellfields to long-lasting snowbeds. Although the vegetative trait variation along such gradients has been intensively studied, little is known about whether and how seed germination is adapted to the variable...

The Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests Biome is mainly dominated by deciduous forests with species adapted to seasonal climates with cold winters. However, due to local climatic conditions and past biogeographical processes, coniferous or broadleaf evergreen forests can also be found within this biome. Understanding the extent of these functiona...

In alpine landscapes, topographic roughness determines local environmental conditions. Within the same patch we can find extremely diverse microhabitats ranging from open areas subjeced to freeze-thaw cycles and dry periods (fellfields) to areas with a dense plant layer, lengthy snow cover and high moisture (snowbeds). Alpine microhabitats are expe...

Despite the importance of dormancy and dormancy cycling for plants’ fitness and life cycle phenology, a comprehensive characterization of the global and cellular epigenetic patterns across space and time in different seed dormancy states is lacking. Using Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (shepherd’s purse) seeds with primary and secondary dorman...

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we...

Mediterranean regions are biodiversity hotspots whose landscapes are characterized by evergreen sclerophyllous vegetation, mild-wet winters, and hot-dry summers. In the Northern Hemisphere, they occur in the Mediterranean Basin and California regions. In these areas, whose habitats are heavily shaped by centuries of anthropic activities, the main e...

Background and Aims Interactions between ecological factors and seed physiological responses during the establishment phase shape the distribution of plants. Yet, our understanding of the functions and evolution of early-life traits has been limited by the scarcity of large scale datasets. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the germination niche o...

Background and Aims European ancient woodlands are subject to land use change and the distribution of herbaceous understory species can be threatened because of their poor ability to colonize isolated forest patches. The regeneration niche can determine the species assembly of a community and seed germination traits may be important descriptors of...

We present the first standardized list of the vascular flora of the Cantabrian Mountains, a transitional zone between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean biogeographic regions in northwestern Spain. The study area comprises 15000 km2 divided in UTM grid cells of 10 km x 10 km, for which we revised occurrence data reported in the Spanish Plant Inform...

Aim: To analyse the biogeographic patterns of Temperate Deciduous Forests (TDFs) in Western Eurasia based on different life-forms and forests layers and explore their relationships with the current climate, Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) climate and topography. Location: Western Eurasia. Taxon: Vascular plants. Methods: We delimited nine regions encomp...

Aim To analyse the biogeographic patterns of Temperate Deciduous Forests (TDFs) in Western Eurasia based on different life-forms and forests layers and explore their relationships with the current climate, Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) climate and topography. Location Western Eurasia. Taxon Vascular plants. Methods We delimited nine regions encompa...

Recently-restored forests on former agricultural land have impoverished herbaceous understories. This is partly due to the poor colonizing capacity of understory plants, which makes them slow in responding to land use change. Functional traits can be used to compare old and recent understories and provide insight about which plant syndromes are mis...

Research in environmental science relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature at around 2 meter above ground1-3. These climatic grids however fail to reflect conditions near and below the soil surface, where critical ecosystem functions such as soil carbon storage are controlled and most biodiversity resides4-8...

Ecosystems adapt differently to global warming through microclimatic factors. Mires are sensitive wetland habitats that strongly rely on local soil properties, making them a good model to understand how local climatic parameters counteract the effects of climate change. We quantified the temperature buffering effect in waterlogged mire soils as com...

Seed traits have functional significance in all levels of plant biology, but there is a lack of germination databases of wide geographical scope. This report presents SylvanSeeds (https://efernandezpascual.github.io/home/sylvanseeds.html), a first global database of germination records for an ecologically coherent unit: Temperate Broadleaf and Mixe...

Availability of big data, and of powerful computational tools have given plant scientists unprecedented potential to quantify large-scale (geographically and phylogenetically) patterns in plant ecology, and evolution. While vegetative traits data have been studied in detail, functional significance of reproductive features, such as seed germination...

Questions Sea level rise and saltwater intrusion are changing low‐lying coastal landscapes, converting agricultural land and other upland habitats to tidal marsh. Abandoned, saline agricultural fields are affected by a unique combination of environmental filters, those traditionally found in tidal marsh – salinity and flooding – alongside those of...

Es un proyecto aprobado dentro del V Programa Interreg Sudoe, 2014-2020, dentro de la prioridad “Proteger el medio ambiente y promover la eficacia de los recursos” y de la prioridad de inversión “La protección y el restablecimiento de la biodiversidad y del suelo y el fomento de los servicios de los ecosistemas, inclusive a través de NATURA 2000 y...

Conopodium majus is a geophyte with pseudomonocotyly, distributed in Atlantic Europe. It is an indicator of two declining European habitats: ancient woodland understories and oligotrophic hay meadows. Attempts to reintroduce it by seed have been hindered by scarce seedling emergence and limited knowledge of its seed biology. Micro‐CT scanning was u...

Under Mediterranean climates with dry‐hot summers and cool‐wet winters, many forbs with potential for habitat restoration are winter annuals, but there is little information about their germination. We performed laboratory germination experiments on 13 ruderal dicots native to Andalusia (southern Spain). We measured the germination of recently harv...

Aims: We investigate how floristically-defined vegetation types that co-occur in the alpine landscape of a biogeographical transition zone differ in functional diversity and ecological requirements, and how the observed patterns help in understanding the response of alpine vegetation to environmental filters and climate change. Location: Picos de E...

Understanding the key aspects of plant regeneration from seeds is crucial in assessing species assembly to their habitats. However, the regenerative traits of seed dormancy and germination are underrepresented in this context. In the alpine zone, the large species and microhabitat diversity provide an ideal context to assess habitat-related regener...

Background and Aims A phylogenetic comparative analysis of the seed germination niche was conducted in coastal plant communities of western Europe. Two hypotheses were tested, that (a) the germination niche shape (i.e. the preference for a set of germination cues as opposed to another) would differ between beaches and cliffs to prevent seedling eme...

Seed germination traits in alpine grasslands are poorly understood, despite the sensitivity of these communities to climate change. This article tests the hypothesis that germination traits predict plant species occurrence along the alpine-subalpine elevation gradient. A phylogenetic comparative analysis was performed using fresh seeds from twenty-...

http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1T3PU1JWF1b4nV Plant-derived smoke promotes germination in Mediterranean-like environments, but its effect is unclear in the Mediterranean Cistaceae. This article investigates the role of smoke in the comparative germination ecology of five Helianthemum taxa. Laboratory germination experiments were conducted using see...

Mires are continental wetlands of high scientific and conservation interest. Understanding the seed germination traits of mire species is essential for comprehending their regeneration ecology and conducting active restoration policies. Here, a comparative study of seed germination traits was performed with 34 plant species from bog and fen communi...

The LIFE Tremedal project addressed the conservation and restoration of 25 wetlands on the Northern Iberian Peninsula and involved not only actions to increase knowledge of all the sites and monitor them, but also specific restoration actions at 16 of their number. This book gives an overview of the restoration actions developed in the project.

Calcareous fens are azonal habitats permanently saturated by groundwater. This is expected to have a buffer effect on soil temperature, alleviating climate changes and allowing plant communities to occupy diverse climatic regions.We analysed the extent of such buffering and its relation with a relevant plant trait, the seed germination niche breadt...

Environmental temperature regulates plant regeneration via seed in several superimposed ways, and this complex regulation will be disrupted by climate change. The role of diurnally alternating temperatures (ΔT) in terminating dormancy will be a major factor in this disruption, as its effects on seed germination are immediate. The effect of ΔT on se...

Phenotypic plasticity in seed dormancy may allow plant species to cope with rapid environmental changes, such as climate warming. In controlled experimental settings, plasticity in dormancy has been found to relate to temperature during seed maturation, but this relationship has not been tested in field conditions. Here we analyse for the first tim...

Mountain calcareous spring fens are floristically diverse wetlands fed by carbonate-rich groundwater. This thesis studies their seed ecology, focusing on the interaction between environmental temperature and germination. To this end we conduct laboratory germination experiments with calcareous spring fen species to characterize the temperature dime...

Background and AimsSeed dormancy varies within species in response to climate, both in the long term (through ecotypes or clines) and in the short term (through the influence of the seed maturation environment). Disentangling both processes is crucial to understand plant adaptation to environmental changes. In this study, the local patterns of seed...

The seed germination niche partly determines adaptation, ecological breadth and geographic range in plant species. In temperate wetlands, environmental temperature is the chief regulator of germination timing, but the ecological significance of high and low temperatures during dormancy break and germination is still poorly understood. Our aim was t...

In temperate mountains, fens have been reported as relict habitats subject to geographical fragmentation and broad climatic gradients, but few studies have analyzed the influence of these factors on plant diversity. Here we investigate the effect of isolation on the vegetation diversity of rich fens (Caricion davallianae) in the mountains of the Ib...