Storing seeds in seed banks is an effective way to preserve plant diversity and conserve species. An essential step towards a valuable conservation is the validation of germination. This study presents a germination screening of seeds from 255 species of the European Eastern Alps, which were to be stored at the Millennium Seed Bank (Kew, UK). The final germination percentage (FGP) was determined using a standard protocol in the laboratory. Species were classified according to species rarity, plant community, occurrence at elevation belts, bedrock types, as well as CSR strategies, and further, seed mass was examined. We could not find statistically significant differences of FGP within these classes, but 74.9% of all tested species germinated using the standard protocol, and half of them had FGP ≥ 20.1–100%. A treatment with gibberellic acid enhanced the germination in half of the species to which this treatment was applied. Common families in alpine regions, i.e. Asteraceae, Poaceae and Saxifragaceae were highlighted in terms of their germination behaviour. The results provide an evaluation of the application of standard protocols to a broad Alpine species pool on the one hand, and on the other hand, provide ecological insights of the species tested. Germination is not only one of the most important events of the reproductive cycle of plants but could also be a key feature in species' responses to changing environmental conditions.

将种子储存在种子库中是保护植物多样性和保护物种的有效方法。实现有价值的保护的重要步骤是验证发芽。这项研究提出了来自欧洲东部阿尔卑斯山的255种种子的发芽筛选，这些种子将储存在千年种子库（英国基尤）中。使用实验室中的标准规程确定最终的发芽率（FGP）。根据物种稀有性，植物群落，高海拔地带的发生，基岩类型以及企业社会责任策略对物种进行分类，并且进一步检查了种子质量。我们在这些类别中没有发现FGP的统计显着差异，但是使用标准协议发芽的所有被测物种中有74.9％发芽，其中一半的FGP≥20.1–100％。用赤霉素处理可以增加一半的发芽率。高山地区的常见科，即菊科，禾本科和虎耳草科的发芽行为得到了强调。结果一方面提供了对将标准规程应用到广泛的高山物种库中的评估，另一方面，提供了所测试物种的生态学见解。发芽不仅是植物繁殖周期中最重要的事件之一，而且还可能是物种对不断变化的环境条件做出反应的关键特征。结果一方面提供了对将标准规程应用到广泛的高山物种库中的评估，另一方面，提供了所测试物种的生态学见解。发芽不仅是植物繁殖周期中最重要的事件之一，而且还可能是物种对变化的环境条件做出反应的关键特征。结果一方面提供了对将标准规程应用到广泛的高山物种库中的评估，另一方面，提供了所测试物种的生态学见解。发芽不仅是植物繁殖周期中最重要的事件之一，而且还可能是物种对不断变化的环境条件做出反应的关键特征。