Comparison of seedling emergence and seed extraction techniques for estimating the composition of soil seed banks

The ecology of hummock-grass vegetation involves recurring fires. The hypothesis was tested that soil seed banks of hummock grass species are stimulated to germinate by the heat of fire or by ash addition. Hummocks of Plectrachne schinzii Henr., Triodia basedowii E. Pritz., and Triodia pungens R. Br. were burned, removed, or removed with the ash returned, and subsequent regeneration was recorded, in Ulum National Park. Regeneration of hummock grass was by seedlings only. Seedling emergence averaged 5/m2, with no differences between treatments or hummock grass species. This indicates the heat of fires and ash addition may not be important in stimulating seed germination of these hummock grass populations. Gemination was distributed over more than one rainfall event following the treatments.

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Composition of native and alien invasive species in soil seed banks of five different physiognomies in Akure Forest Reserve, Ondo State, Nigeria

International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences ◽

10.4314/ijbcs.v15i2.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 437-451

Author(s):

Ayomiposi Olayinka Akinkuolie ◽

Rafiu Olugbenga Sanni ◽

Augustine. O. Isichei ◽

Samson. O. Oke

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Plant Ecology ◽

Alien Invasive Species ◽

Forest Reserve ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Ondo State

The study investigated the composition of native and alien invasive species in soil seed banks of five different vegetation physiognomies in Akure Forest Reserve Ondo State, Nigeria. This was done with a view to determining and providing an insight into the population dynamics of alien, invasive species for subsequent prediction of potential plant population of the extant population. Five distinct sites (Natural forest, Teak plantation, Taungya system, Taungya + Teak + Gmelina and Teak + Gmelina + Pinus Plantation) designated as A, B, C, D and E were selected in the Forest Reserve. Two plots 25 m x 25 m each were selected for sampling in each of the five distinct physiognomies. Five replicates soil samples were randomly collected at 0-15 cm soil depth in dry and rainy seasons in each site and they were subjected to seedlings emergence for six months to determine the density and species composition (natives or aliens and percentage contribution) of the seed bank. The results of the seedling emergence revealed that the seed bank was dominated by herbaceous stems and also the proportion of aliens to natives was low. Analysis of variance revealed that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the density of both the aliens and native species in sites A, B and C indicating similarities in the seed bank density of the aliens and natives in the three sites while in sites D and E, there was a significant difference (P<0.05) indicating dissimilarity in the seed bank density of the aliens and natives in the two sites.Keywords: Plant Ecology, Forest, Seedling Emergence, Seed Bank, Alien Species, Conservation.

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Soil seed banks in Mediterranean Aleppo pine forests: the effect of heat, cover and ash on seedling emergence

Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1046/j.1365-2745.2000.00486.x ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 667-675 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Ido Izhaki ◽

Nava Henig-Sever ◽

Gidi Ne'Eman

Keyword(s):

Seedling Emergence ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Aleppo Pine ◽

Pine Forests ◽

Soil Seed Banks

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Persistence of bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypifolia L.) soil seed banks

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj12051 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 429 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Faiz F. Bebawi ◽

Shane D. Campbell ◽

Robert J. Mayer

Keyword(s):

Abiotic Factors ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Burial Depth ◽

Seed Type ◽

Natural Rate ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Natural Rainfall ◽

Jatropha Gossypifolia ◽

Heavy Clay

Bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypifolia L.) is an invasive shrub that adversely impacts agricultural and natural systems of northern Australia. While several techniques are available to control bellyache bush, depletion of soil seed banks is central to its management. A 10-year study determined the persistence of intact and ant-discarded bellyache bush seeds buried in shade cloth packets at six depths (ranging from 0 to 40 cm) under both natural rainfall and rainfall-excluded conditions. A second study monitored changes in seedling emergence over time, to provide an indication of the natural rate of seed bank depletion at two sites (rocky and heavy clay) following the physical removal of all bellyache bush plants. Persistence of seed in the burial trial varied depending on seed type, rainfall conditions and burial depth. No viable seeds of bellyache bush remained after 72 months irrespective of seed type under natural rainfall conditions. When rainfall was excluded seeds persisted for much longer, with a small portion (0.4%) of ant-discarded seeds still viable after 120 months. Seed persistence was prolonged (>96 months to decline to <1% viability) at all burial depths under rainfall-excluded conditions. In contrast, under natural rainfall, surface located seeds took twice as long (70 months) to decline to 1% viability compared with buried seeds (35 months). No seedling emergence was observed after 58 months and 36 months at the rocky and heavy clay soil sites, respectively. These results suggest that the required duration of control programs on bellyache bush may vary due to the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on persistence of soil seed banks.

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Seedling Emergence from Seed Banks in Ludwigia hexapetala-Invaded Wetlands: Implications for Restoration

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants8110451 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 451 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brenda J. Grewell ◽

Morgane B. Gillard ◽

Caryn J. Futrell ◽

Jesús M. Castillo

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Critical Role ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Plant Management ◽

Invasive Plant Management ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Restoration Planning ◽

Standing Vegetation

Soil seed banks play a critical role in the maintenance of wetland plant communities and contribute to revegetation following disturbances. Analysis of the seed bank can therefore inform restoration planning and management. Emergence from seed banks may vary in response to hydrologic conditions and sediment disturbances. To assess the community-level impact of exotic Ludwigia hexapetala on soil seed banks, we compared differences in species composition of standing vegetation among invaded and non-invaded wetlands and the degree of similarity between vegetation and soil seed banks in northern California. To determine potential seed bank recruitment of L. hexapetala and associated plant species, we conducted a seedling emergence assay in response to inundation regime (drawdown vs. flooded) and sediment depth (surface vs. buried). Plant species richness, evenness, and Shannon’s H’ diversity were substantially lower in standing vegetation at L. hexapetala invaded sites as compared to non-invaded sites. Over 12 months, 69 plant taxa germinated from the seed banks, including L. hexapetala and several other exotic taxa. Seedling density varied among sites, being the highest (10,500 seedlings m−2) in surface sediments from non-invaded sites subjected to drawdown treatments. These results signal the need for invasive plant management strategies to deplete undesirable seed banks for restoration success.

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Seedling emergence in Chenopodium album and the predictive value of soil seed banks

Proceedings of the New Zealand Plant Protection Conference ◽

10.30843/nzpp.1994.47.11080 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

G.W. Bourdot ◽

G.A. Hurrell ◽

A. Rahman ◽

R. Abernethy ◽

N. Grbavac

Keyword(s):

Predictive Value ◽

Chenopodium Album ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Soil Seed Banks

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Persistent soil seed banks of the globally significant invasive species, Eupatorium adenophorum, in Yunnan Province, south-western China

Seed Science Research ◽

10.1079/ssr2006240 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 157-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Youxin Shen ◽

Wenyao Liu ◽

Jerry M. Baskin ◽

Carol C. Baskin ◽

Min Cao

Keyword(s):

Yunnan Province ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Western China ◽

Seed Density ◽

Soil Cores ◽

Eupatorium Adenophorum ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Mother Plants

Soil cores were collected at different times between the seed germination and dispersal seasons of Eupatorium adenophorum from 19 sites at five stations with different kinds of vegetation in Yunnan, south-western China. Mother plants of E. adenophorum were absent from eight of the sites, and their frequency was low at nine other sites. However, persistent soil seed banks were present at all 19 sites. Seed density in the 0–10 cm soil layer varied from 47 to 13,806 seeds m−2, and averaged 2199 seeds m−2. Fifty-seven percent of the seeds of E. adenophorum were in the 0–2 cm soil layer, 24% in the 2–5 cm layer and 19% in the 5–10 cm layer. The percentage of cores from which seedlings emerged ranged from 33–100% across all sites. Seed density and seedling emergence percentages varied significantly among the five stations, and both were positively correlated with abundance of mother plants.

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A comparative study of the seed germination biology of a narrow endemic and two geographically-widespread species ofSolidago(Asteraceae). 6. Seed bank

Seed Science Research ◽

10.1017/s0960258500003925 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 65-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jeffrey L. Walck ◽

Jerry M. Baskin ◽

Carol C. Baskin

Keyword(s):

Seed Bank ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Solidago Altissima ◽

Widespread Species ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Narrow Endemic ◽

Disturbed Soil ◽

Persistent Seed Bank

AbstractSeeds of the geographically-widespreadSolidago altissimaandS. nemoralisand the narrow-endemicS. shortiiwere buried in pots of soil and placed in a glasshouse without temperature control. After 0.3–4.3 years of burial, some seeds (21–60%) of all three species were viable and they germinated to 75–100% during 2 weeks of incubation in light at 30/15°C. Soil samples collected from several population sites ofS. altissima, S. nemoralisandS. shortiiwere placed in the glasshouse and monitored for seedling emergence. During the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth springs, the number ofS. altissimaseedlings m−2emerging was 108–1080, 8–494, 0–520, 0–69, 0–6 and 3, respectively, ofS. nemoraliswas 108–1122, 17–667, 0–42, 0–6, 0, 0 and 0, respectively, and ofS. shortiiwas 61–1753, 0–25, 0–6, 0, 0 and 0, respectively. More seedlings emerged from disturbed than from non-disturbed soil, but the differences were not significant. Thus, although some seeds of all three species buried in pots remained viable in soil throughout the 4.3-year burial period, longevity was greater and size of seed bank larger in field-collected soil samples containing seeds of the geographically-widespread species than in those containing seeds of the narrow endemic. Although 34 studies have reported seeds of 17 species ofSolidagopresent in soil seed banks, the present study is the first to show, conclusively thatSolidagocan form a persistent seed bank.

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The pattern of seed banks during secondary succession on poor soils

Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae ◽

10.5586/asbp.2011.040 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 80 (4) ◽

pp. 269-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anna J. Kwiatkowska-Falińska ◽

Małgorzata Jankowska-Błaszczuk ◽

Maciej Wódkiewicz

Keyword(s):

Seedling Emergence ◽

Coniferous Forest ◽

Species Abundance ◽

Calluna Vulgaris ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Fallow Land ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Number Of Species ◽

Fallow Lands ◽

Seedling Emergence Method

Studies on the soil seed banks of fallow lands of different ages were carried out on poor soil abandoned fields and in a fresh coniferous forest in north-eastern Poland. The size and diversity of seed banks was studied with the seedling emergence method. Species abundance (i), density (ii), number of species from different biological groups (iii) and distribution and mean LI value (iv) were analysed as the function of fallow land age. It was found that: (i) species diversity, number of species and ln of density are linear declining function of the fallow land age; (ii) for approx. 25 years the share of diaspores of identified species groups has been relatively similar. Seed banks of 40-50-year-old fallow lands are dominated by Calluna vulgaris, while the seed bank of the old fresh coniferous forest is dominated by dicotyledonous perennials and grasses; (iii) within the first 50 years of succession the persistence of seed banks measured by the Longevity Index increases gradually.

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Which factors influence the density of birch (Betula pendula Roth) seeds in soil seed banks in temperate woodlands?

European Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1007/s10342-021-01411-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katharina Tiebel

Keyword(s):

Soil Seed Bank ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Soil Seed Banks ◽

Seed Sources ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Spruce Stands ◽

Disturbed Forest

AbstractThe natural regeneration of disturbed forest sites is becoming increasingly important due to climate change. Following disturbance events affecting large areas seed trees are often absent from the site, and regeneration solely by means of seed rain may not be successful. In these situations, soil seed banks are an important driver of the regeneration and reforestation of forest sites. The aim of the study was to determine the birch seed density in the soil of birch stands, spruce–birch stands and spruce stands dependent upon the number of seed trees (stands) and upon varying degrees of ground cover using the ‘seedling emergence method.’ The study revealed a significant link between the quantity of germinated birch seedlings in soil samples and the presence of seed sources. Seedling densities of birch in the different stand categories reached 2644–6414 seedlings per m2 [n m−2] in birch stands, 392–759 n m−2 in spruce–birch stands and 25–122 n m−2 in pure spruce stands. The density of germinated birch seedlings was also negatively affected by the soil layer. In all stand types, the factors humus thickness, litter cover, moss cover and herb cover had no significant influence on the amount of birch seedlings. Successful rapid regeneration of disturbed sites by means of the birch soil seed bank is guaranteed in cases where birch stands, or at least birch seed trees, were present before the event. The influence of ground cover on the regeneration potential of birch from the soil is negligible.

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