Survivorship of Cerastium Atrovirens at Aberffraw, Anglesey

Abstract

C. atrovirens, an autumn-germinating annual, exhibits negatively skewed survivorship as determined by monitoring a cohort of 6504 seedlings in a sand dune community at Aberffraw, Anglesey [England]. After germination in late Sept.-Oct., C. atrovirens forms a rosette and remains relatively inactive until resumption of active growth in March followed by flowering and concomitant increased mortality. Approximately 40% of the individuals alive in Nov. eventually die without April flowering. The remainder die during seed maturation. The seed remain viable in the soil in appreciable numbers until the following autumn.