Soil seed banks and restoration potential of tussock sedge meadows after farming in Changbai Mountain, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
Ming Wang ◽  
Shengzhong Wang ◽  
Guodong Wang ◽  
Ming Jiang

Vast tracts of the wettest agricultural fields have been abandoned worldwide, hence knowledge of their restoration potential is becoming important. Soil seed banks can be important components of ecological restoration, particularly if the seeds of key structural dominants can survive periods of cultivation. In Changbai Mountain, China, we compared the seed banks and standing vegetation between natural sedge meadows and adjacent paddy fields under drained and flooded conditions. The tussock-forming sedge Carex schmidtii dominated plant communities in the natural sedge meadows. However, this key structural dominant species was not found in the paddy fields. Other important wetland species survived cultivation as seeds (e.g. Cyperus fuscus, Lythrum salicaria and Sagittaria trifolia). Species of various life history types require either drawdown (emergent; e.g. C. schmidtii) or flooding (e.g. Potamogeton pectinatus) for successful germination. This study indicates that the seed banks of farmed sedge meadows could contribute towards the establishment of new wetland vegetation assemblages. Active revegetation of sedge meadow, particularly the native tussock-forming Carex, and changes in environmental conditions are necessary to support the region’s biodiversity.

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie E. Korb ◽  
Judith D. Springer ◽  
Stephanie R. Powers ◽  
Margaret M. Moore

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
王国栋 WANG Guodong ◽  
Beth A Middleton Beth A Middleton ◽  
吕宪国 LÜ Xianguo ◽  
姜明 JIANG Ming ◽  
王铭 WANG Ming ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie E. Korb ◽  
Judith D. Springer ◽  
Stephanie R. Powers ◽  
Margaret M. Moore

2021 ◽  
pp. 167-180
Author(s):  
Patsavipich Rungrojtrakool ◽  
Pimonrat Tiansawat ◽  
Arunothai Jampeetong ◽  
Dia Panitnard Shannon ◽  
Sutthathorn Chairuangsri

Soil seed banks have been used for investigation of natural regeneration of forests. In this study, we compared seed density and species composition of soil seed banks of trees among natural forests, restored forests of different ages, and abandoned agricultural land. The soil seed banks were collected from a natural forest (NF), 12-year-old and 17-year-old restoration sites (RF12y and RF17y), and 17-year-old abandoned site (AA) at Ban Mae Sa Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand. A seedling emergence technique was used to assess seed density and species of emerged seedlings was identified. We found 5-8 tree species at each site. Seed densities in the study areas ranged from 43 to 298 seeds/m2. The seed density of RF12y was significantly higher than that of both NF and AA but not significantly different than RF17y (p < 0.01). Although there was no significant relationship between the restoration ages and the seed densities of the soil seed banks, the species composition of standing vegetation was related to the seed bank species. Sorensen’s similarities between the species composition of the soil seed banks and the existing trees in each area were between 0 and 13.79%, suggesting seed dispersal of both within and across study sites. Eight out of fourteen species in the soil seed banks were dispersed into restoration sites without standing vegetation of those species. Seven of those were animal-dispersed species. The selected native trees, framework species, attracted small seed dispersers into the study areas, especially at the restoration sites. This finding suggests that active forest restoration improved natural regeneration in restoration sites as well as neighboring areas via seed dispersal.


Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda J. Grewell ◽  
Morgane B. Gillard ◽  
Caryn J. Futrell ◽  
Jesús M. Castillo

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.


2010 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Wang ◽  
Ju-Ying Jiao ◽  
Yan-Feng Jia ◽  
Wen-Juan Bai ◽  
Zhen-Guo Zhang

Biotropica ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zewdu K. Tessema ◽  
Willem F. de Boer ◽  
Robert M. T. Baars ◽  
Herbert H. T. Prins

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