Soil seed banks in a mature Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) plantation and initial process of secondary succession after clearcutting in southwestern Japan

Abstract

To profile secondary succession after clearcutting a conifer plantation, we examined the composition of the soil seed bank and the process of vegetation recovery after clearcutting a mature Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) plantation in southwest Japan. We set up two study plots and collected 25 and 26 soil samples (each 20 cm 9 30 cm 9 5 cm depth), respectively, in April 1999, before clearcutting. Using the seedling emergence method, we detected 500-839 buried viable seeds m -2 in 42-44 species. Soil seed banks in both plots contained typical pioneer species but few late-successional species. After clearfelling the plantation in June 1999, we censused seedling establishment for 4 years and the composition of the vegetation for 6 years. More than half of the seedlings emerged in the second year, suggesting that the timing of clearcutting is possibly critical to seedling establishment. Nineteen plant species disappeared after clearcutting, 40 species were retained and 43 species newly emerged after clearcutting. Most of the newly emerged species were pioneer species which originated in the soil seed bank. Seven of the pioneer species, as typified by Rubus crataegifolius, showed clonal growth from the third year after clearcutting. Japanese serow browsed the seedlings of major pioneer species, possibly affecting the process of secondary succession. Late-successional species such as Abies firma declined in coverage or disappeared after clearcutting. Our results suggest that the soil seed bank makes a major contribution to vegetation recovery after clearcutting, but possibly not to restoration of the late-successional species.

Significance and limitation of scarification treatments on early establishment of Betula maximowicziana, a tree species producing buried seeds: effects of surface soil retention

“…These two species are known to adapt to relatively dry-site conditions (Saito et al 2016) and produce buried seeds (cf. Zobel et al 2007;Sakai et al 2010). We suppose that the species characteristics of vulnerability to water stress resulted in the different patterns evident between these two species and B. maximowicziana.…”

“…With regard to the extended life-span of the buried seeds of this species (more than half of the buried seeds were able to germinate even after 6 years; Osumi and Sakurai 1997), it can be expected that there was a large quantity of buried seeds in the soil at the time of the treatment (Yamazaki et al in prep). It has been reported that a standard scarification treatment using a rake dozer removed approximately 10 cm of surface soil (Yoshida et al 2005), which is the depth within which most of the available buried seeds are distributed (Godefroid et al 2006;Zobel et al 2007;Sakai et al 2010).…”

Stachyurus praecox (Stachyuraceae), first report in Korea

“…Stachyurus praecox, distributed in Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do in Korea, is presumed to have migrated approximately 40 to 50 years ago via bird dispersal of seeds that originated from Japan archipelago (Abe and Matsunaga, 2007;Sakai et al, 2010).…”

Recruitment of seedlings versus ramets as affected by pasture degradation in alpine meadows and the implications for ecological restoration

“…grasses, sedges, forbs) (Forbis 2003) and under different sources of disturbance (e.g. grazing, mowing) (Edwards et al 2005;Bissels et al 2006;Sakai et al 2010). Welling and Laine (2000b) have reported low correlation between the numbers of young and mature plants in alpine ecosystems in Finland, but a high correlation between species distribution with young and mature plant populations.…”