Soil seed bank recovery occurs more rapidly than expected in semi-arid Mediterranean gypsum vegetation

Olano, José Miguel; Caballero, I.; Escudero, Adrián

doi:10.1093/aob/mcr260

Cited by 29 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This finding is discordant with previous studies indicating that annual plant species produce a soil seed bank in coastal Mediterranean semiarid ecosystems, and especially on sand dunes (Yu et al, 2008). However, the soil seed bank in arid ecosystems is characterized by a high spatial and temporal variability (Thompson, 1987) and most annual plants may exhibit ample variation in seed longevity in the soil, depending on the frequency of favorable conditions (Olano et al, 2012). Our results seem to confirm the same pattern found in Dianthus morisianus Vals., another narrow endemic plant growing in sandy coastal habitats that is unable to form a persistent soil seed bank (Cogoni et al, 2012).…”

Section: Seed Production and Soil Seed Banksupporting

confidence: 78%

Reproductive biology of the narrow endemic Anchusa littoreaMoris (Boraginaceae), an endangered coastal Mediterranean plant

Cogoni¹,

Fenu²,

Bacchetta³

2015

Turk J Bot

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Phenological and reproductive patterns are fundamental life-history components in the life cycle of plants. In this study, we analyzed phenological and reproductive data at the plant and population levels of the narrow endemic Anchusa littorea Moris, an endangered annual plant species growing in a few small patches at the Is Arenas dune system (SW Sardinia, Italy). Individuals from the main 2 patches were evaluated during a 4-year study period: plants were monitored on a monthly basis in each reproductive phenophase. To assess phenological variability within and among populations, an approach based on the Shannon-Wiener diversity index and the Morisita-Horn similarity index was applied. The seed output and the soil seed bank were also investigated in order to analyze the reproductive capacity of this plant species. Anchusa littorea showed a long flowering season and a high flowering synchrony between patches, which contrasted with a low within-patch synchrony. The seed production per plant was low and the species did not create a soil seed bank. Population size was characterized by considerable annual fluctuations: a significant migration occurred for A. littorea plants inside the dune system over the years. These results demonstrate the importance of the phenological pattern on the knowledge of the reproductive ecology of endangered coastal plant species and will contribute to orient management and conservation efforts.

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Section: Seed Production and Soil Seed Banksupporting

confidence: 78%

Reproductive biology of the narrow endemic Anchusa littoreaMoris (Boraginaceae), an endangered coastal Mediterranean plant

Cogoni¹,

Fenu²,

Bacchetta³

2015

Turk J Bot

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“…Furthermore, time since abandonment is not related to changes in soil chemical composition or significant nutrient shifts along succession. Gypsum specialists can establish from the soil seed bank (Martínez‐Duro et al , ) or arrive by secondary dispersal from well‐conserved fragments remaining in the vicinity, since primary dispersal is usually very inefficient (Olano, Caballero & Escudero, ). This agrees with the findings that gypsum soil seed banks act as mid‐term temporal reservoirs that refill and recover initial vegetation over very short time periods (Olano et al , ).…”

Section: Dynamics Of Plant Communities On Gypsum Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gypsum specialists can establish from the soil seed bank (Martínez‐Duro et al , ) or arrive by secondary dispersal from well‐conserved fragments remaining in the vicinity, since primary dispersal is usually very inefficient (Olano, Caballero & Escudero, ). This agrees with the findings that gypsum soil seed banks act as mid‐term temporal reservoirs that refill and recover initial vegetation over very short time periods (Olano et al , ). Vegetation dynamics seem to respond to typical patch dynamics in which nucleation around gypsophiles is critical (Martínez‐Duro et al , ).…”

Section: Dynamics Of Plant Communities On Gypsum Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As in other stressful environments where recruitment conditions are unpredictable, soil seed banks are critical for gypsum plant communities (Olano et al, 2012). In gypsum ecosystems, spatio-temporal changes in the composition and structure of above-ground vegetation are closely related to those of the soil seed bank (Olano et al, 2005;Caballero et al, 2008b;Martínez-Duro et al, 2012).…”

Section: Dynamics Of Plant Communities On Gypsum Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plant life on gypsum: a review of its multiple facets

et al. 2014

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The adaptation of plants to particular soil types has long intrigued biologists. Gypsum soils occupy large areas in many regions of the world and host a striking biological diversity, but their vegetation has been much less studied than that developing over serpentine or saline soils. Herein, we review all aspects of plant life on gypsum ecosystems, discuss the main processes driving their structure and functioning, and highlight the main conservation threats that they face. Plant communities in gypsum habitats typically show distinctive bands at very small spatial scales, which are mainly determined by topography. Plants living on gypsum soils can be classified into three categories: (i) wide gypsophiles are specialists that can penetrate the physical soil crust during early life stages and have physiological adjustments to cope with the chemical limitations imposed by gypsum soils; (ii) narrow gypsophiles are refugee plants which successfully deal with the physical soil crust and can tolerate these chemical limitations but do not show specific adaptations for this type of soils; and (iii) gypsovags are non-specialist gypsum plants that can only thrive in gypsum soils when the physical crust is absent or reduced. Their ability to survive in gypsum soils may also be mediated by below-ground interactions with soil microorganisms. Gypsophiles and gypsovags show efficient germination at low temperatures, seed and fruit heteromorphism within and among populations, and variation in seed dormancy among plants and populations. In gypsum ecosystems, spatio-temporal changes in the composition and structure of above-ground vegetation are closely related to those of the soil seed bank. Biological soil crusts (BSCs) dominated by cyanobacteria, lichens and mosses are conspicuous in gypsum environments worldwide, and are important drivers of ecosystem processes such as carbon and nitrogen cycling, water infiltration and run-off and soil stability. These organisms are also important determinants of the structure of annual plant communities living on gypsum soils. The short-distance seed dispersal of gypsophiles is responsible for the high number of very narrow endemisms typically found in gypsum outcrops, and suggests that these species are evolutionarily old taxa due to the time they need to colonize isolated gypsum outcrops by chance. Climate change and habitat fragmentation negatively affect both plants and BSCs in gypsum habitats, and are among the major threats to these ecosystems. Gypsum habitats and specialists offer the chance to advance our knowledge on restrictive soils, and are ideal models not only to test important evolutionary questions such as tolerance to low Ca/Mg proportions in soils, but also to improve the theoretical framework of community ecology and ecosystem functioning.

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“…Compared with the native grassland, the other three land use types had decreased soil seed density, species richness, and common species, both in the soil seed bank and vegetation. Olano et al [44] considered that the soil seed bank was primarily supplied by the dispersal of seeds from the aboveground vegetation, and in turn it was the seedling resources of the development and succession of aboveground vegetation. Thus, the soil seed bank and vegetation were originally closely correlated with each other [45].…”

Section: Relationship Between Soil Seed Bank and Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of Soil Seed Bank and Vegetation to the Increasing Intensity of Human Disturbance in a Semi-Arid Region of Northern China

Xiao

Wang

et al. 2017

Sustainability

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Abstract:To provide more insights into the responses of the soil seed bank and vegetation to human disturbance intensity, we selected four land use types, including: native grassland (no human disturbance), abandoned artificial grassland (light human disturbance), artificial grassland (moderate human disturbance), and farmland (severe human disturbance) in a semi-arid climate of northern China. The species composition and density of the soil seed bank were measured, as well as the species composition and amount of vegetation. The native grassland had a significantly higher soil seed density and species richness than the other land use types. Moreover, the common species both in the soil seed bank and vegetation between the native grassland and other land use types gradually decreased as disturbance intensity increased. The abandoned artificial grassland and artificial grassland still had abundant soil seed banks according to their seed density (≥28.2% of the native grassland) and species richness (≥70.0% of the native grassland) to restore the vegetation. Conversely, it was hard to restore the vegetation on the farmland due to its low soil seed density (10.0% of the native grassland) and species richness (40.0% of the native grassland). In conclusion, human disturbance would generate significant negative effects on the soil seed bank in desertified regions in a semi-arid climate; however, the soil seed bank in land use types with light/moderate disturbance are more adapted to vegetation restoration compared with land use types with severe disturbance in a semi-arid region.

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Soil seed bank recovery occurs more rapidly than expected in semi-arid Mediterranean gypsum vegetation

Cited by 29 publications

References 49 publications

Reproductive biology of the narrow endemic Anchusa littoreaMoris (Boraginaceae), an endangered coastal Mediterranean plant

Reproductive biology of the narrow endemic Anchusa littoreaMoris (Boraginaceae), an endangered coastal Mediterranean plant

Plant life on gypsum: a review of its multiple facets

Responses of Soil Seed Bank and Vegetation to the Increasing Intensity of Human Disturbance in a Semi-Arid Region of Northern China

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