scholarly journals Statistical inference for seed mortality and germination with seed bank experiments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor-Fausto Siegmund ◽  
Monica A. Geber

Plant population ecologists regularly study soil seed banks with seed bag burial and seed addition experiments. These experiments contribute crucial data to demographic models, but we lack standard methods to analyze them. Here, we propose statistical models to estimate seed mortality and germination with observations from these experiments. We develop these models following principles of event history analysis, and analyze their identifiability and statistical properties by algebraic methods and simulation. We demonstrate that seed bag burial, but not seed addition experiments, can be used to make inferences about age-dependent mortality and germination. When mortality and germination do not change with seed age, both experiments produce unbiased estimates but seed bag burial experiments are more precise. However, seed mortality and germination estimates may be inaccurate when the statistical model that is fit makes incorrect assumptions about the age-dependence of mortality and germination. The statistical models and simulations that we present can be adopted and modified by plant population ecologists to strengthen inferences about seed mortality and germination in the soil seed bank.

2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Wódkiewicz ◽  
Anna Justyna Kwiatkowska-Falińska

Forest seed banks mostly studied in managed forests proved to be small, species poor and not reflecting aboveground species composition. Yet studies conducted in undisturbed communities indicate a different seed bank characteristic. Therefore we aimed at describing soil seed bank in an undisturbed forest in a remnant of European lowland temperate forests, the Białowieża Forest. We compared similarity between the herb layer and seed bank, similarity of seed bank between different patches, and dominance structure of species in the herb layer and in the seed bank of two related oak-hornbeam communities. We report relatively high values of Sorensen species similarity index between herb layer and seed bank of both patches. This suggests higher species similarity of the herb layer and soil seed bank in natural, unmanaged forests represented by both plots than in fragmented communities influenced by man. Although there was a set of core seed bank species present at both plots, yielding high Sorensen species similarity index values, considerable differences between plots in seed bank size and dominance structure of species were found, indicating spatial variability of studied seed bank generated by edaphic conditions. Dominance structure of species in the herb layer was not reflected in the underlying seed bank. This stresses, that natural forest regeneration cannot rely only on the seed bank, although some forest species are capable of forming soil seed banks. While forest seed banks may not reflect vegetation composition of past successional stages, they may inform on history and land use of a specific plot.


Author(s):  
Ya-Fei Shi ◽  
Zengru Wang ◽  
Bing-Xin Xu ◽  
Jian-Qiang Huo ◽  
Rui Hu ◽  
...  

Soil seed banks may offer great potential for restoring and maintaining desert ecosystems that have been degraded by climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. However, few studies have explored the annual dynamics in the composition and relative abundance of these soil seed banks. We conducted a long-term observational study to assess the effects of environmental factors (meteorology and microtopography) and aboveground vegetation on the soil seed bank of the Tengger Desert, China. The desert seed bank was dominated by annual herbs. We found that more rainfall in the growing season increased the number of seeds in the soil seed bank, and that quadrats at relatively higher elevations had fewer seeds. The species composition had more similarity in the seed bank than in the aboveground vegetation, though the seed bank and aboveground vegetation did change synchronously due to the rapid propagation of annuals. Together, our findings suggest that the combined effects of environmental factors and plant life forms determine the species composition and size of soil seed banks in deserts. Thus, if degraded desert ecosystems are left to regenerate naturally, the lack of shrub and perennial herb seeds could crucially limit their restoration. Human intervention and management may have to be applied to enhance the seed abundance of longer-lived lifeforms in degraded deserts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Djalma de Souza ◽  
Bruno Ayron de Souza Aguiar ◽  
Danielle Melo dos Santos ◽  
Vanessa Kelly Rodrigues de Araujo ◽  
Júlia Arruda Simões ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims In dry tropical forests, herbaceous species may have dormancy mechanisms and form persistent and transient seed banks in the soil. Evolutionarily acquired, these mechanisms are efficient for the establishment and survival of these herbs, especially in forests with unpredictable climates, such as the Caatinga. Thus, our objective was to verify whether the studied herbaceous species adopt the physical dormancy mechanism and how these natural barriers are overcome, to understand the temporal dynamics existing in the soil seed bank from a Brazilian dry tropical forest. Methods Seeds of five native herbaceous species from the Caatinga forests were selected and submitted to pre-germinative treatments for verifying the presence of physical dormancy. We collected soil samples in the rainy and dry seasons for four consecutive years and monitored the emergence of the selected herbaceous in the greenhouse. We verified the differences in germination and seed bank emergence in the soil by generalized linear models. Important Findings The presence and absence of physical dormancy were observed in seeds from Caatinga herbaceous species. We found intraspecific and interspecific differences in the herbaceous emergence from soil seed banks between years and climatic seasons. In perennial herbs, consecutive lack of emergence between seasons and years was frequent, which suggests a direct relationship with the mechanism of physical dormancy and the environmental conditions necessary to overcome integument barriers. In these species, seed dimorphism and dormancy may confer additional advantages to their survival. Moreover, presenting intermediate levels of physical dormancy in an annual species may be an evolutionary adjustment to rainfall unpredictability. In contrast, we found that the annual herb without dormancy is more sensitive to seasonal and interannual climate changes, as evidenced by the increase and significant reduction of its emergence in the soil seed bank. These differences acquired evolutionarily are advantageous for the establishment of herbaceous populations, mainly in semiarid regions with an unpredictable climate.


1990 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
AW Graham ◽  
MS Hopkins

The size and floristic composition of soil seed banks under four adjacent, unlogged and structurally different rainforest types were assessed by exposing 17 surface soil samples (to 40mm depth) to germination-house conditions. The mean size of the seed bank in the undisturbed forest types was 240 seeds m-2 (s.d. 139). Seeds of secondary species dominated the soil seed banks in all forest types, although weed seeds constituted only 0.6-4.0%. Some forest types had characteristic component secondary species in the buried seed bank. Agglomerative classification and multidimensional scaling analysis of quantitative sample data indicated that the parent structural-environmental forest type was the dominant influence in determining composition of the soil seed banks. Comparisons of the seed banks of the intact rainforest with those of nearby disturbed forests showed the former to be 35 to 50% smaller in total size, and lacking in some distinctive secondary species. It was concluded that disturbance, both within and adjacent to rainforest, may influence soil seed bank compositions, and hence future patterns of regeneration.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Soltani ◽  
A. Soltani ◽  
S. Galeshi ◽  
F. Ghaderi-Far ◽  
E. Zeinali

Studies were conducted to estimate parameters and relationships associated with sub-processes in soil seed banks of oilseed rape in Gorgan, Iran. After one month of burial, seed viability decreased to 39%, with a slope of 2.03% per day, and subsequently decreased with a lower slope of 0.01 until 365 days following burial in the soil. Germinability remained at its highest value in autumn and winter and decreased from spring to the last month of summer. Non-dormant seeds of volunteer oilseed rape did not germinate at temperatures lower than 3.8 ºC and a water potential of -1.4 MPa ºd. The hydrothermal values were 36.2 and 42.9 MPa ºd for sub- and supra-optimal temperatures, respectively. Quantification of seed emergence as influenced by burial depth was performed satisfactorily (R² = 0.98 and RMSE = 5.03). The parameters and relationships estimated here can be used for modelling soil seed bank dynamics or establishing a new model for the environment.


2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 860-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Curtis R. Rainbolt ◽  
Donald C. Thill ◽  
Joseph P. Yenish ◽  
Daniel A. Ball

A general life cycle model was modified to demonstrate how agronomic practices and weed biology factors affect the rate of appearance of herbicide-resistant downy brome, jointed goatgrass, and wild oat in Pacific Northwest wheat cropping systems. The model suggests herbicide rotation strategies for cropping systems that include imidazolinone-resistant wheat as a weed management tool. Simulation of continuous annual imidazolinone-resistant winter wheat and imazamox herbicide use resulted in the resistant soil seed banks of downy brome, jointed goatgrass, and wild oat surpassing their susceptible soil seed banks in 5, 7, and 10 yr, respectively. Reducing the initial seed bank density of downy brome before beginning a rotation that includes imidazolinone-resistant winter wheat reduces the likelihood of selecting for herbicide-resistant biotypes. The best simulated management option for reducing the total jointed goatgrass soil seed bank in low-precipitation areas is an imidazolinone-resistant winter wheat–fallow rotation. Rotations that include winter and spring crops and rotations that include non–group 2 herbicides minimize herbicide resistance selection pressure and reduce the wild oat soil seed bank.


2003 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Tang ◽  
S. L. Boulter ◽  
R. L. Kitching

Physical changes and flows of energy at the interface between two contrasting ecosystems affect the distribution of species across the ecotone. The maintenance and stability of the, often abrupt, transition between Australian rainforest and non-rainforests is often attributed to fire. We use pre-germination treatments of smoke and heat on soil seed bank samples to determine plant distributions across the edge between subtropical rainforest and an adjacent eucalypt-dominated wet sclerophyll forest. Soil seed bank collections at 15 m within the eucalypt forest had both significantly higher density and diversity of seedlings than those at 30 m, at the edge itself or at any site within the rainforest. This response was most apparent when a pre-germination smoke treatment was applied. We suggest that smoke is an important germination trigger for species regenerating at this interface. Our results confirm the importance of fire in determining and maintaining the nature of this ecotone.


2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
CG. Araújo ◽  
VJM. Cardoso

The germinability of artificially buried Psychotria hoffmansegiana and Palicourea marcagravii seeds in Cerrado soil was tested, with the aim of evaluating whether dispersed seeds may be able to form a soil seed bank. The assays were carried out at a Cerrado Reserve in São Paulo State, Brazil. Seed samples were placed in nylon bags and buried at two different depths and in two different sites. Samples were periodically exhumed and germination tests were performed with both exhumed and dry stored seeds. In general, soil storage favoured seed survival and germination when compared to dry stored seeds. The seed germination was little affected by soil depth and by burial environment. Seeds of both species remained viable for at least 13 months, considering the time lapse between the collection and the end of the germination tests. It was suggested that both species can potentially form a persistent soil seed bank in Cerrado.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Winda Utami Putri ◽  
Ibnul Qayim ◽  
Abdul Qadir

Abstract. Putri WU, Qayim I, Qadir A. 2021. Invasive species in the soil seed bank of two limestone hills in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 4019-4027. Study on the impact of invasive species on plant communities has been conducted mainly on the aboveground vegetation. The impact on the soil seed bank has received less attention mostly due to practical difficulties in conducting seed bank assessment. Evaluation of seed bank composition is useful in detecting invasive plant species that may have been present as buried seeds. Information on the vegetation composition in Nyungcung and Kapur hills both under and aboveground is available, but specific information on invasive species has not been discussed yet. This paper describes and analyzes the structure (composition and density) of invasive species in the soil seed bank. Eighty soil samples were taken from the study sites. The soil seed banks were analyzed using seedling emergence and seed extraction methods. 2602 and 1280 seedlings emerged from soil seed bank of Nyungcung and Kapur hills, respectively. From that number, approximately 48.96% and 68.51% of the seedlings are invasive species in the soil seed bank of Nyungcung and Kapur hills. The invasive species were dominants in the soil seed bank of the two sites. Cecropia peltata and Clidemia hirta were the most abundant invasive species in the Kapur and Nyungcung hills seed bank, respectively. Species richness and seedling density were higher in Nyungcung hills than Kapur hills, which were invaded for a relatively longer period.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-124
Author(s):  
Omowumi Omotoyosi OLALOYE ◽  
Samson Olajide OKE

The present study was conducted to determine the densities and soil seed bank composition of a riparian forest and its adjacent upland vegetation for a better understanding the potentials of the soil seed banks in facilitating succession towards a more natural forest of native tree species. Three contiguous 20 m x 20 m plots were systematically established on both riparian forest and upland vegetation. Species enumeration, identification and distribution into families of the standing vegetation were carried out. Furthermore, five replicates soil samples were collected at two different depths (0-15 cm, 15-30 .The seedling emergence test was carried out for six months in the greenhouse to determine the species composition and the density of the seed in both vegetation types. The results of the seedling emergence revealed that more seeds were deposited at the upper depth (0-15 cm) than the lower depth 15-30 cm in the two vegetation types in both dry and rainy season. There was low similarity in species composition between the standing vegetation and soil seed bank in each of the two vegetation types. Herbaceous species recorded the highest number of seedlings as compared to the other habit. The low similarity between seed bank and standing vegetation of the riparian forest and the adjacent upland vegetation suggested that soil seed bank was insignificant in their restoration. 


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