Seed size and plant strategy across the whole life cycle

We compiled information from the international literature to quantify the relationships between seed mass and survival through each of the hazards plants face between seed production and maturity. We found that small‐seeded species were more abundant in the seed rain than large‐seeded species. However, this numerical advantage was lost by seedling emergence. The disadvantage of small‐seeded species probably results from size‐selective post‐dispersal seed predation, or the longer time small‐seeded species spend in the soil before germination. Seedlings from large‐seeded species have higher survival through a given amount of time as seedlings. However, this advantage seems to be countered by the greater time…