The Role of Age-Structure in the Optimal Germination Fraction of Seeds

Authors

Keywords:

Dormancy, age-structure, senescence, seed banks, annual, perennial, mathematical model

Abstract

In this review, we analyze Cohen’s classic 1966 paper, “Optimizing reproduction in a randomly varying environment,” and focus on how subsequent studies have relaxed Cohen’s assumptions regarding age-structure. We do this in two ways, by analyzing studies that relax assumptions of age-structure in either the aging seed or the aging adult plant. Several studies have analyzed annual plants, which can exhibit age-structure due to seeds remaining dormant in the seed bank for one or more years. However, few studies have analyzed perennials with seed dormancy. These plants could have age-structure due to both dormant seeds and the aging plant, and thus could have much more complicated dynamics. Accordingly, here we share ideas and encourage future research in both the theoretical and experimental aspects of this field.

Author Biographies

  • Amy K. Webster, Institutional Affiliations: Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.
    Amy Webster is a math major developing theoretical models of epigenetics and aging.
  • Rene Cieszewski, University of Georgia, University of Georgia
    b. 1991, d. 2012. Rene Cieszewski worked as an undergraduate researcher at the University of Georgia with Drs. Daniel Promislow and Jacob Moorad. Rene was interested in applying mathematical models to the problem of germination in age-structured populations. The title of his project was “Delayed Reproduction and Age/Class Structure in a Randomly Varying Environment”. Unfortunately, Rene did not have the opportunity to complete this work. This paper, which was inspired by Rene’s work and includes many of his ideas, is written in his memory.
  • Daniel Promislow, University of Georgia, University of Georgia
    Dr. Daniel Promislow began his career in biology as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. He completed his doctoral work in evolutionary biology with Paul Harvey at Oxford University. After post-doctoral work in Paris, at Queen's University in Ontario, and at the University of Minnesota, in 1995 he joined the faculty in the Department of Genetics at the University of Georgia. Dr. Daniel Promislow is broadly interested in evolutionary genetics, with specific projects on senescence, sexual selection, natural genetic variation, and the evolution of networks.

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Published

2014-03-30

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1: MCFNS March 30, 2014

Section

Mathematical Modeling

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How to Cite

Webster, A. K., Cieszewski, R., & Promislow, D. (2014). The Role of Age-Structure in the Optimal Germination Fraction of Seeds. Mathematical and Computational Forestry & Natural-Resource Sciences (MCFNS), 6(1), 26-35 (10). https://mcfns.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/6.3

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