Soil Seed Bank of a Jack Pine (Pinus Banksiana) Ecosystem

1998 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Whittle ◽  
LC Duchesne ◽  
T Needham
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Plant Succession ◽  
Pteridium Aquilinum ◽  
Soil Cores

The soil seed bank (seed and vegetative propagules) of a jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) ecosystem was investigated using direct propagule emergence from soil cores in greenhouse experiments, and visual examination of rhizome/rooting systems in situ. Of the 985 emergents observed from soil cores 643 (65%) originated from seeds whereas 342 (35%) arose from rhizomes. Grasses and sedge comprised 89% of the seed emergents while shrubs comprised 75% of the vegetative emergents. In situ examination of root systems revealed that Linnaea borealis L., Carex houghtonii Torr., Gaultheria procumbens L., and Maianthemum canadense Desf. had rhizomes buried at or above the duff/mineral interface while Lycopodium obscurum L., Lycopodium complanatum L. and Pteridium aquilinum L. (Kuhn) were predominately buried within the upper- layers of mineral soil. All other vegetatively reproducing species examined, with the exception of Rubus alleghaniensis Porter, had rhizomes buried deeper than 25 cm into mineral soil. Rubus allegheniensis (reproductive roots) had no discrete area of burial and were located in duff, upper mineral, and deep mineral soil. Depth of burial of reproductive material is used to explain plant succession after disturbance.

Soil chemical changes and plant succession following experimental burning in immature jack pine

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Lynham ◽  
G. M. Wickware ◽  
J. A. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Banksiana ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Plant Succession ◽  
Chemical Changes ◽  
Soil Layers ◽  
Rate Of Increase

In 1975 and 1976, an experimental burning program was conducted in an immature stand of boreal jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) growing on level, granitic outwash sands in northern Ontario. Nine 0.4-ha plots were burned under a range of fire weather conditions and sampling was conducted to examine the effect of fire on soil chemical changes and revegetation. Results indicated that depth of burn (DOB) affected both soil chemical changes and plant succession on these pine sites. Vaccinium angustifolium Ait., Oryzopsis spp,. Waldsteinia fragarioides (Michx.) Tratt, Salix spp. and Viola adunca Sm. increased in cover at two levels of DOB but the increase was greatest at the lower DOB and decreased to pre-burn levels after 10 yr. Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult., Epilobium angustifolium L., Polytrichum commune Hedw. and Amelanchier sanguinea (Pursh) DC. were not found in the pre-burn surveys but appeared after burning. Vegetation cover for these species was always higher at the deeper DOB but decreased almost to zero after 10 yr. Other species such as Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt., Linnaea borealis L., Corylus cornuta Marsh., Cladina rangiferina (L.) Nyl. and Aralia nudicaulis L. were eliminated from the site and did not recover even after 10 yr. Soil pH increased 0.3 to 1.0 pH units in the organic and mineral soil layers. The rate of increase in pH was always steeper at the higher DOB and pH returned to pre-burn levels in the mineral soil layers after 10 yr. Immediately after burning, exchangeable Ca in the mineral soil layers doubled but 10 yr later, Ca returned to pre-burn levels. Phosphorus and K increased in the mineral soil, leveled off and were still elevated after 10 yr. Total Kjeldahl N was reduced by 50% in the organic soil while N in all mineral soils increased, and was still increasing after 10 yr. Except for immediate post-fire increases in pH, Ca and N, soil chemical changes were small or they rebounded to pre-burn levels 10 yr after burning. Therefore it is unlikely that these changes were the cause of the plant cover changes that persisted to 10 yr. Key words: Soil nutrients, plant succession, fire, depth of burn, jack pine

Soil seed bank and vegetation dynamics in Sahelian fallows; the impact of past cropping and current grazing treatments

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 683-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Hérault ◽  
Pierre Hiernaux
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Phosphorus Fertilizer ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Seed Extraction ◽  
The Impact

The soil seed bank in a 5-y-old Sahelian fallow was studied through seed extraction and compared with germinations recorded either in controlled conditions, ex situ in a glasshouse, or in the field. The influence of phosphorus fertilizer and mulch application during the preceding crop period, and that of seasonal grazing regimes applied the last 2 y of fallowing, were assessed on the composition of the seed stock. Ctenium elegans, Fimbristylis hispidula, Merremia pinnata and Phyllanthus pentandrus accounted together for 75% of extracted seeds, 72% of ex situ, and 62% of in situ seedlings. Mulch treatment was correlated with the first axis of the canonical correspondence analyses performed on the seedling datasets. Mulch and phosphorus fertilizer treatments held similar responses, as they both favoured the seed bank of erect dicotyledons such as P. pentandrus and Cassia mimosoides. On the whole, the effects of grazing remained modest compared with the residual effects of past crop management practices. However, seedling densities increased as a result of dry-season grazing, while the soil seed bank decreased with wet-season grazing. Grazing also reduced the spatial heterogeneity of the seed bank rather than the overall number of species.

The effects of recreation disturbance on subalpine seed banks in the Rocky Mountains of Montana

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 577-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Zabinski ◽  
Todd Wojtowicz ◽  
David Cole
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Seed Bank ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Seed Density ◽  
Soil Cores ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Recreation Impacts ◽  
Natural Revegetation ◽  
Site Types

We investigated the soil seed bank in a subalpine ecosystem with patchy disturbance from camping. Soil cores were collected from three site types, heavily impacted, lightly impacted, and undisturbed, that differed in area of bare ground and depth of surface organic matter. We hypothesized that the density and composition of the seed bank would vary with depth of surface organic matter and distance from established vegetation. Seedling emergence was determined in the greenhouse. Seed density was significantly lower on disturbed sites, averaging 441 seeds/m2 on heavily impacted sites, 1495 seeds/m2 on lightly impacted sites, and 4188 seeds/m2 on undisturbed sites. Seed density declined exponentially with distance from established vegetation and increased with depth of surface organic matter. The number of species present did not vary across site types, but 10 species that occurred on lightly impacted and undisturbed sites were not present on heavily impacted sites. We concluded that disturbance that causes removal of surface organic matter can affect natural revegetation by lowering the density of propagules and affecting the species represented in the seed bank.Key words: seed bank, subalpine, patchy disturbance, recreation impacts.

scholarly journals Longevity of seeds and soil seed bank of the Cerrado tree Miconia chartacea (Melastomataceae)

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F. Escobar E. ◽  
Victor J. M. Cardoso
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Storage Time ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
High Water ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
High Water Content ◽  
Storage Test

AbstractMiconia chartacea is a widely distributed tree in Brazil, occurring at altitudes ranging from 300 m to 1900 m in the Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. In this work we attempted to classify M. chartacea seeds regarding their behaviour during storage and their germination syndrome and to determine, from a storage test in Cerrado soil and laboratory conditions in situ and ex situ, the longevity of seeds, as well as the capacity of the species to form a soil seed bank. The results suggested that M. chartacea seeds form a transient soil seed bank in the Cerrado and can be classified as orthodox in terms of storage behaviour, although the seeds are dispersed with a relatively high water content. The life span of seeds was favoured in soil-stored seeds in comparison with dry storage at 25°C, whereas storage at low temperatures prevented a decrease of the seed's germinability with storage time (330 d). M. chartacea seeds are dispersed during the dry season and germinate during the next rainy season, which can be classified as an intermediate–dry germination syndrome. Seeds of this species are dispersed in the Cerrado when temperatures and soil moisture are relatively low, which favours the formation of a soil seed bank, considering that the seeds tolerate desiccation and their longevity is favoured by low temperatures. A transient seed bank type is favoured by the loss of viability in storage at warm temperatures linked to the rainy season, and the predictable seasonal variations in climate in the region, with germination being restricted to the beginning of the rainy season.

scholarly journals Prediction of soil seed bank of piedmont and alluvial environments of Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

2024 ◽  
Vol 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ahmad ◽  
A. Saeed ◽  
A. B. Gulshan ◽  
S. Wali ◽  
F. Hadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Seed Storage ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Lower Elevation ◽  
Richness Pattern ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Vegetation Structures

Abstract The current focus is on the overall pattern of seed storage present in the fragments of the soil of piedmont and alluvial landscapes of the environment. The present study predicted the seed banks of both soils of alluvial and piedmont zones in different ecological conditions and evaluate the potential of seeds in the restoration of both environments. The composition of the seed bank of soil is mainly affected by the alluvial environment and the structure of cleared area shows that more species of germinating annual grasses and growable seeds with the higher total number. Extant vegetation structures have an important role in the diversity of soil seed reservoirs, whose composition corresponded with the openness of the site. When in situ soil seed bank is recruited, it helps to restore only some components of the plant community in an alluvial environment. In our current research, it was confirmed that seed richness was higher in number at lower elevation (alluvial) than that at high elevation (piedmont). Seed richness showed a significant negative correlation with anions, cations, while significantly positive with altitude that suggests the richness pattern of the overall seed bank of the area is influenced by various environmental factors.

Ludwigia peruviana (Onagraceae) in the Botany Wetlands near Sydney, Australia

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1481 ◽  
Author(s):  
SWL Jacobs ◽  
F Perrett ◽  
GR Sainty ◽  
KH Bowmer ◽  
BJ Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Fresh Seed ◽  
Controlled Environments ◽  
Shrubby Species ◽  
Germination And Growth ◽  
Growth Experiments ◽  
Sydney Australia

Ludwigia peruviana is an aquatic shrubby species introduced from the Americas and spreading to wetlands in coastal south-eastem Australia. It has become dominant, replacing much of the former vegetation in the Botany Wetlands, a series of shallow urban swamps and lakes near Sydney, Australia. Studies of L. peruviana were essential to the development of a management plan for the Botany Wetlands. Ecological studies were conducted in situ and supplemented by a series of germination and growth experiments in controlled environments. Flowering peaked in early autumn. Seed production for 1990-91 was ~ 450000 seeds m-2 and there was also ~ 65000 seeds m-2 in the soil seed bank and ~ 300000 seeds m-2 in old fruits that remained on the stems over winter. The seeds are ~ 0.8 mm long, weigh ~ 0.05 mg, are hydrophobic, usually germinate while afloat, and are easily dispersed by water, machinery and birds. Viability of fresh seed was 99% (tetrazolium dye test), and - 20% of seeds were dormant. Dormancy appeared to break down within two years. Propagation and dispersal may also occur by means of stem pieces that produce new shoots. New plants from seed, seedlings or stem fragments may become established on strand lines or form floating islands that may eventually become stranded. Management needs to focus on control of the seedlings and soil seed bank.

Response of soil seed bank to a prescribed burning in a subtropical pine–oak forest

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Zuloaga-Aguilar ◽  
Alma Orozco-Segovia ◽  
Oscar Briones ◽  
Enrique Jardel Pelaez
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Prescribed Burn ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Understorey Vegetation ◽  
Physiological Dormancy

Prescribed burning is a management instrument applied to reduce the risk of fire and favour revegetation. Our objective was to generate information about the dynamics of post-fire regeneration via the soil seed bank (SSB), for fire management in subtropical forests. Samples taken at soil depths of 0–3cm, 3–6 cm and 6–10 cm before and 5 h after a prescribed burn showed that the fire immediately increased the number of germinable seeds and species in a Mexican pine–oak forest. Most of the germinable seeds were from species in genera with small seeds exhibiting physical or physiological dormancy, and that are tolerant or require fire for germination. Fire increased the number of germinable seeds during the wet season and the number of species was greater in the area control at 0–6-cm soil depth after 1 year; so that the fire modified the SSB seasonal pattern. Species diversity was not altered and was dominated by perennial herbaceous and shrub species both before and 2 years after the fire. Although fire completely eliminated the aboveground biomass of the understorey vegetation, the SSB can promote regeneration and persistence of understorey vegetation following a prescribed surface fire of low severity for the ecosystem studied.

Parameters affecting germinability and seed bank dynamics in dimorphic achenes of Centaurea solstitialis in California

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (10) ◽  
pp. 993-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
D B Joley ◽  
D M Maddox ◽  
S E Schoenig ◽  
B E Mackey
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Centaurea Solstitialis ◽  
Soil Cores ◽  
Annual Cycles ◽  
Seed Biology ◽  
Seed Bank Dynamics ◽  
Substrate Moisture ◽  
Over Time

Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.) is a major rangeland weed pest in California and other western states. Two complementary aspects of seed biology were examined: germination and seed bank dynamics. Achenes were tested for changes in germinability over time using various light, temperature, and moisture treatments. Soil cores were collected over time to monitor changes in achene density. Both plumed and nonplumed achenes exhibited photo reversible responses to red and far-red light. White and red light enhanced germination above that occurring in darkness. Achenes showed seasonal changes in germinability, which were characteristic of conditional dormancy. Exposure of achenes to field conditions during summer alleviated primary dormancy, allowing germination to occur at higher temperatures and lower substrate moisture. Nonplumed achenes collected in winter showed reduced germinability at or above moderate temperatures under both single and multiple light exposures. Imbibition and moderately low temperatures with subsequent drying induced secondary conditional dormancy in some achenes. Plumed achenes dominated the soil seed bank before the rainy season, then declined rapidly following rain. Nonplumed achenes peaked after rains began, then declined. Although nearly all achenes were depleted after 4 years, both types remained, showing annual cycles of high and low germinability in autumn and late spring, respectively.Key words: light, phytochrome, conditional dormancy, longevity.

scholarly journals Seed bank and growth comparisons of native (Virgilia divaricata) and invasive alien (Acacia mearnsii and A. melanoxylon) plants: implications for conservation

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan A. Goets ◽  
Tineke Kraaij ◽  
Keith M. Little
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Seed Banks ◽  
Acacia Mearnsii ◽  
Relative Growth ◽  
Sapling Growth ◽  
Study Species

Background Invasive alien plants with long-lived dormant seed banks and fast growth rates are difficult to manage. Acacia mearnsii and Acacia melanoxylon are two such invaders in the southern Cape of South Africa which occasionally co-occur with a native, ecologically analogous species, Virgilia divaricata. We compared the performance of these three species to determine potential for the native species to be used in management of the invasives. Methods We compared the study species in terms of (i) soil seed bank densities, their vertical distribution, and the viability of seeds underneath the canopies of mature trees; (ii) seedling growth from planted seeds over a period of three months; and (iii) growth rates of saplings over a period of 10 months in stands that have naturally regenerated in the field (these stands were dominated by A. mearnsii) and where saplings have been exposed to varying levels of competition from surrounding saplings. Results Seed bank densities differed significantly among species but not among soil depth classes. Acacia mearnsii had the highest seed bank densities (mean of 7,596 seeds m−2), followed by V. divaricata (938 seeds m−2) and A. melanoxylon (274 seeds m−2). Seed viability was high (87–91%) in all three study species and did not differ significantly among species or soil depth classes. As seedlings, V. divaricata significantly outgrew A. mearnsii in terms of height, root and shoot dry mass, and root:shoot ratio. Relative growth (the relationship between growth in height and initial height) was negative in the seedlings of both species. Trends during the sapling stage were opposite to those during the seedling stage; A. mearnsii (but not A. melanoxylon) saplings significantly outgrew V. divaricata saplings in height, while relative growth rates were positive in all species. Sapling growth of all species was furthermore uninfluenced by the collective biomass of surrounding competitors. Discussion Our findings suggest that amongst the measures considered, A. mearnsii’s success as an invader is primarily attributable to its large seed banks, and secondly to its vigorous growth in height as saplings. However, the superior growth performance of V. divaricata seedlings and no apparent negative effect of competition from the acacias on sapling growth show promise for its use in integrated management of the acacias.

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