From Cone to Seed and Seedling—Characterization of Three Portuguese Pinus pinaster Aiton Populations

Seed production in Pinus pinaster Aiton is not usually considered a limiting factor for natural regeneration; instead, seed weight is a more limiting factor in successful pine recruitment. Divergent relationships between seed weight and germination rate were previously observed amongst maritime pine populations of central coastal Portugal. The present study followed cone-to-seed and seed-to-seedling approaches to decrease intra-specific variability and clarify the impact of cone size and seed mass on seedling recruitment. The main objectives of this study were (1) to determine and compare the mass of cones and seeds of three maritime pine populations located along a geographic gradient along the coastal center of Portugal and (2) to clarify the relations thereof between cone and seed traits with germination phenology and initial seedling growth. Results demonstrated that heavier cones tended to generate more mature seeds, but not necessarily heavier ones, although seed weight was suggested to be an indicator of robust seedlings. The outcomes of this study reinforce the great intra-population variability of maritime pine, showing the ecology of this species and its ability to adapt to various environments successfully.