Author(s)

Alfonso-Corrado Cecilia, Campos Jorge Eduardo, Mendoza Ana, Aguirre-Hidalgo Victor, Valencia-Davalos Susana, González-Adame Gabriel, Wooden Garvey Fanny, Clark-Tapia Ricardo

Herbario de la Facultad de Ciencias (FCME), Departamento de Biología Comparada, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F., México.
Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F., México.
Instituto de Estudios Ambientales, Universidad de la Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, México.
Laboratorio de Bioquímica Molecular-Unidad de Biotecnología y Prototipos (UBIPRO), Fes–IZTACALA, Tlalnepantla, México.
Nova Universitas, Carretera a Puerto ángel Km. 34.5, Ocotlán de Morelos, México.

In the genus Quercus, regeneration by seed is reduced or absent in many species. The naturally protected area of the Sierra Fria, in Aguascalientes, Mexico contains forests that are fragmented and have been degraded due to human activities. The oak populations in this region demonstrate a very restricted sexual regeneration, with five of the most abundant species of this genus: Quercuseduardii, Q. grisea, Q. potosina, Q. resinosa and Q. sideroxyla presenting low seedling recruitment. In this study we evaluated seed viability and the effect of seed size on the germination, growth and survival of the trees, with the aim of recommending restoration and conservation program management actions for these oak species. In 2005 and 2006, 5000 acorns of each species were collected and viability, germination and growth experiments were performed in the laboratory and greenhouse. We found high seed viability and significant size effect (P < 0.05) on levels of germination, growth and survival of these five species of oaks. Our results suggest that environmental and ecological factors have implications for the quality of the seeds produced. This work provides a basis for low cost seed and appropriate management strategies for restoration programs.

Acorns, Oak, Regeneration, Seed Size, Seed Viability

Cecilia, A. , Eduardo, C. , Ana, M. , Victor, A. , Susana, V. , Gabriel, G. , Fanny, W. and Ricardo, C. (2014) Restoration-Focused Germination and Development of Five Central Mexican Oak Species. Open Journal of Forestry, 4, 171-180. doi: 10.4236/ojf.2014.43023.