Rain‐based soil solarization for reducing the persistent seed banks of invasive plants in natural ecosystems – <i>Acacia saligna</i> as a model

Cohen, Oded; Bar, Pua; Gamliel, A.; Katan, J.; Kurzbaum, Eyal; Weber, Gil; Schubert, Iris; Riov, J.

doi:10.1002/ps.5306

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Using transparent polyethylene sheets, the temperature of the soil at a depth of 0-20 cm usually reaches 40-60 °C, leading to the eradication of pathogens, arthropod pests, and weeds. This soil treatment has been already tested to manage invasive seed banks and lead to significantly reduced viability of buried Acacia seeds, including the invasive species A. saligna, A. murrayana and A. sclerosperma, by exposing seeds to lethal hydrothermal conditions, constituting an effective method to reduce the persistent invasive seed bank of those species [54][55][56]. Considering the C. edulis seeds' thermic sensitivity described here and the fact that a 77.6% of this species' soil seed bank is mainly found in the species' litter and the first 0-5 soil cm [30], soil solarization may constitute a promising tool for invaded soil seed bank eradication.…”

Section: Artificial Aging To Assess Invasive Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

A rapid and sensitive method to assess seed longevity through accelerated aging in an invasive plant species

2020

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Background: Seed longevity and vigor assessment is crucial for efficient ex situ biodiversity conservation in genebanks but may also have potential applications for the understanding of ecological processes and in situ biodiversity conservation. In fact, one of the factors determining the persistence of invasive species, a main threat to global biodiversity, is the generation of soil seed banks where seeds may remain viable for several years. Artificial seed aging tests using high temperatures and high relative humidity have been described for seed longevity estimation but have been mainly optimized for species with commercial interest. Thus, the aim of the study is to define a rapid and sensitive method to assess seed longevity and vigor through accelerated aging in the worldwide distributed invasive species Carpobrotus edulis to provide tools to biodiversity managers to evaluate invasive potential and develop effective post-eradication plans. Results: Slow seed deterioration rate was obtained when C. edulis seeds were subjected to common accelerated aging temperatures (43-45 °C). This contrasts with the rapid viability decay between 24-72 h when seeds were subjected to temperatures superior to 55 °C, a strong inflection point for this species' thermosensitivity. Relative humidity also played a role in defining seed survival curves, but only at high temperatures, speeding up the deterioration process. The selected aging conditions, 55 °C at 87% relative humidity were tested over two C. edulis populations and three measures were proposed to parametrize the differential sigmoidal seed survival curves, defining the seed resistance to deterioration (L 5 , aging time where 95% of seeds maintain their viability), medium longevity (L 50 , 50% of seeds lose their viability) and lethal aging time (L 95 , 95% of viability loss). Conclusions: An accelerated aging test at 55 °C and 87% relative humidity constitutes a rapid and sensitive method that can be performed within a working week, allowing managers to easily test seed vigor and longevity. This test may contribute to assess invasive potential, design effective monitoring programs and soil seed bank eradication treatments.

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Section: Artificial Aging To Assess Invasive Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

A rapid and sensitive method to assess seed longevity through accelerated aging in an invasive plant species

2020

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“…weeks after the onset of the solarization treatment, the non-dormant fraction was higher in the solarization treatment than in the control. As suggested in our previous studies (Cohen et al 2008(Cohen et al , 2018(Cohen et al , 2019, we assume that the release from dormancy is probably the critical stage leading to the deterioration of the seed bank through a weakening effect occurring during soil solarization.…”

Section: The Underlying Mechanism Of Seed Bank Reductionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…Therefore, in dry habitats, the regular soil solarization method, which includes pre-irrigation, is recommended. Alternatively, satisfactory results can also be achieved by covering the soil with transparent polyethylene following the last rains (RBS method, Cohen et al 2019). In wetlands, covering the soil during the summer without pre-irrigation (i.e., dry solarization, as used in this study) has also been found to be effective.…”

Section: Application and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…de Wit. Our previous studies demonstrated that moderate soil moisture can effectively reduce the seed bank of A. saligna at the moderate soil temperatures created by soil solarization (Cohen et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, attempts have been made to develop methods which will eliminate the need for irrigation. Cohen et al (2019) recently reported the successful application of rain-based solarization to control the seed bank of A. saligna. This method is based on trapping the soil moisture caused by the last rainfall in the early spring.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soil solarization based on natural soil moisture: a practical approach for reducing the seed bank of invasive plants in wetlands

Cohen¹,

Gamliel²,

Katan³

et al. 2019

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Soil solarization is a well-established method to disinfect soil for efficient weed control. However, the feasibility of applying this method in the restoration of invaded natural habitats is unclear. This is because soil moisture is necessary for the success of solarization, but pre-irrigation in natural ecosystems is often not applicable, or demands high labor investment, making it unsuitable for use in restoration. The present study was based on the idea that the relatively high soil moisture in wetlands might obviate the need for pre-irrigation, rendering this method much more applicable in natural habitats. We examined the efficacy of soil solarization using natural soil moisture to control the seed bank of the invasive plant, Acacia saligna, in a wetland, using large-scale experimental plots (0.38 ha each). An old, dense A. saligna grove was cut down and the roots were removed by a bulldozer. The plot was mulched with a transparent polyethylene sheet in early July and left on the soil for 14 weeks. Soil solarization significantly reduced the viability of seeds of A. saligna that had been experimentally buried. Additionally, viability of seeds in the natural seed bank was reduced, and seedling emergence was close to zero. Exposing seeds to soil temperature and soil moisture levels equivalent to those obtained during field soil solarization under controlled conditions significantly increased the release from dormancy of the seeds, suggesting that release from dormancy during the early stage of solarization is a critical stage leading to seed weakening or mortality in the soil. Soil solarization also decreased the cover and abundance of the natural vegetation; therefore, active revegetation is required to restore the natural vegetation and to conserve endangered and endemic species.

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Effects of global climate change on regeneration of invasive plant species from seeds

Huebner

2022

Plant Regeneration From Seeds

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Rain‐based soil solarization for reducing the persistent seed banks of invasive plants in natural ecosystems – Acacia saligna as a model

Cited by 6 publications

References 27 publications

A rapid and sensitive method to assess seed longevity through accelerated aging in an invasive plant species

A rapid and sensitive method to assess seed longevity through accelerated aging in an invasive plant species

Soil solarization based on natural soil moisture: a practical approach for reducing the seed bank of invasive plants in wetlands

Effects of global climate change on regeneration of invasive plant species from seeds

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