Germination requirements and seedling establishment of four dry forest species from Nicaragua

We examined the optimal temperature and light requirements for seed germination of Bombacopsis quinata, Cordia alliodora, Lysiloma divaricatum and Tabebuia rosea and establishment of B. quinata, C. alliodora and T. rosea seedlings planted under different light conditions. Seeds of L. divaricatum germinated rapidly and to a large extent at all constant temperature regimes (15-35 degrees C) both in light and darkness. Exposure of seeds to alternating temperatures of 20/15 degrees C resulted in 58 % germination in darkness and 62 % in light. C. alliodora and T. rosea seeds germinated equally well at constant temperature regimes ranging from 20 degrees C to 35 degrees C in light and darkness. Exposure to alternating temperatures (20/15 degrees C) resulted in higher germination for seeds of C. alliodora in dark than in light, while it inhibited the germination of T. rosea seeds. Seeds of B. quinata incubated at 20 degrees C and 25 degrees C in light and 20 degrees C in darkness exhibited the highest germination while exposure to alternating temperatures completely arrested germination in this species. Survival of C. alliodora seedlings was higher on open and partially-open sites than on-the site under closed canopy. B. quinata had the lowest survival while T. rosea had the highest on the open site. The findings are discussed in relation to the restoration of abandoned sites. We concluded that while C. alliodora and T. rosea could potentially serve as framework species for the restoration of degraded and/or abandoned sites, B. quinata does not meet the requirements of a framework species for restoring degraded sites in drier regions.