Factors controlling the regenerative cycle of Thymus funkii subsp. funkii in a semi-arid gypsum steppe: A seed bank dynamics perspective

Martínez-Duro, Esmeralda; Ferrandis, Pablo; Herranz, José Marı́a

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2008.10.011

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In most arid and semi-arid ecosystems, safe sites are scarce and temporally unpredictable (e.g., Aguiar and Sala 1997;Escudero et al 1999;Martínez-Duro et al 2009). If seed supply, i.e., seed input into the soil less seeds lost to predation, is greater than safe site density then seed predation will be irrelevant to recruitment (Andersen 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do seed harvesting ants threaten the viability of a critically endangered non‐myrmecochorous perennial plant population? A complex interaction

et al. 2010

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This study analyzes the fate of seeds removed by ants, as well as the seed supply, seedling survival, and the ability to form persistent seed banks in the soil, in a critically endangered population of the non-myrmecochorous perennial halophyte Helianthemum polygonoides, in order to determine the extent to which seed removal by ants represents a real bottleneck for recruitment and thus a threat for long-term population viability. Apparently, the impact of seed-harvester ants was dramatic: the primary seed shadow was reduced by up to 93% by the activity of Messor bouvieri and Aphaenogaster dulcineae. However, M. bouvieri lost 7% of fruits collected by dropping them on trunk trails, mostly under plant cover, the most propitious microenvironment for recruitment. In addition, some seeds were mistakenly rejected in refuse piles, although here recruitment was extremely low. A significant fraction of seeds (&40%) remained viable in the soil for over 2 years. In addition, H. polygonoides had the ability to form shortterm persistent seed banks, in spite of the intense ant seed removal. In general, seedling recruitment was very low, denoting the scarcity of safe sites in the habitat. Overall, the data corroborate that seed removal by ants, although highly intense, does not compromise the viability of perennial-plant populations, because seed supply and seed reserve in the soil are enough to exploit current and future safe sites. A population viability analysis demonstrated that other threats affecting the survival of reproductive H. polygonoides plants actually constitute the real risk for the conservation of this critically endangered species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do seed harvesting ants threaten the viability of a critically endangered non‐myrmecochorous perennial plant population? A complex interaction

et al. 2010

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“…; Martínez‐Duro et al. ). The plant communities of these ecosystems have low resilience (Buisson et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The presence of other foundation species is important for the expansion of T. vulgaris as they capture thyme calyces that are moved horizontally by wind, thus increasing and multiplying patches of thyme (Martínez‐Duro et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using a two‐phase sowing approach in restoration: sowing foundation species to restore, and subordinate species to evaluate restoration success

Coiffait-Gombault

Buisson

Dutoit

2012

Applied Vegetation Science

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International audienceQuestions: Is it possible to restore a target herbaceous plant community on ex-arable land by sowing foundation species? What is the impact of sheep grazing on the restoration of this ecosystem? How can we rapidly evaluate the success of restoration methods? Location: Nature reserve of the plain of La Crau, southeast France (43° 31′ N, 4° 50′ E) Methods: In an ex-arable field, we sowed an indigenous species mix in 2007. This was composed of two perennial species dominant in the reference grassland ecosystem (Brachypodium retusum, Thymus vulgaris) and one annual species (Trifo-lium subterraneum) also found on the reference grassland and which is well-known for its ability to quickly cover bare soil. These three species are called foundation species as they play an essential role in structuring the restored ecosystem community. To investigate the significances of the foundation species on community dynamics, four subordinate species were sown 1 yr later: Taeniathe-rum caput-medusae, Linum strictum, Evax pygmaea and Asphodelus ayardii. The subordinate species are typical plants of the reference grassland which describe well this vegetation type. Results: Sowing foundation species was an effective means of reintroducing them. Their presence in the ex-arable field very rapidly promoted establishment of grassland species and impeded establishment of weeds. When grazing was excluded, the foundation species covered the ground, particularly with Trifolium subterraneum, which reached 54% ground cover. Subordinate species established better on the foundation species sown treatment and on the grazed treatment. Conclusion: In the short term, sowing indigenous foundation species and maintaining grazing seems to be a good method to restore grassland plant communities that have a poor ability to re-establish spontaneously. This study also demonstrates that sowing and monitoring of subordinate species is an effective method to rapidly test whether a particular restoration protocol will have a positive effect on community assembly and development

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“…Usually, seed rain is related to seed production (Martínez-Duro et al, 2009;Zhai et al, 2010). The presence of species in seed rain that were found or reported in the standing vegetation has been attributed to high seed production (Butaye et al, 2002).…”

Section: Seed Yield and Seed Rainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed population dynamics on abandoned slopes in the hill and gully Loess Plateau region of China

Jiao

Wang

et al. 2016

Ecological Engineering

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Recovery of natural vegetation is an effective but slow approach to control the soil erosion in the Chinese hill and gully Loess Plateau region. As seed stage is particularly vulnerable to environmental conditions, characteristics of seed population should be needed to study for determining whether the recovery of natural vegetation is limited during this stage on the abandoned slopes in this region. The study was performed on three abandoned slopes in a watershed with an area of 8.27 km 2 in the Shaanxi province of China. The differences in soil seed banks were investigated in two different points in time, late March 2011 and early April 2013. Main factors of seed population dynamics, such as seed yield of dominant species, seed inputs by seed rain as well as seed outputs through seed loss by overland flow and seedling emergence, were monitored from late March 2011 to early April 2013. In this study, seed rain densities of the main later successional species, i.e., Lespedeza davurica (Laxm.) Schindl., Stipa bungeana Trin. and Artemisia gmelinii Web. ex Stechm.,

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Factors controlling the regenerative cycle of Thymus funkii subsp. funkii in a semi-arid gypsum steppe: A seed bank dynamics perspective

Cited by 12 publications

References 37 publications

Do seed harvesting ants threaten the viability of a critically endangered non‐myrmecochorous perennial plant population? A complex interaction

Do seed harvesting ants threaten the viability of a critically endangered non‐myrmecochorous perennial plant population? A complex interaction

Using a two‐phase sowing approach in restoration: sowing foundation species to restore, and subordinate species to evaluate restoration success

Seed population dynamics on abandoned slopes in the hill and gully Loess Plateau region of China

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