Shading results in depletion of the soil seed bank
To what extent is the decline of characteristic dry alvar species related to the decline in the soil seed bank during scrub encroachment? We recorded the number of flower stems in the vegetation in relation to light attenuation along an encroachment series progressing from open alvar through small g...
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Published in | Nordic journal of botany Vol. 32; no. 5; pp. 674 - 679 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Oxford, UK
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
01.10.2014
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | To what extent is the decline of characteristic dry alvar species related to the decline in the soil seed bank during scrub encroachment? We recorded the number of flower stems in the vegetation in relation to light attenuation along an encroachment series progressing from open alvar through small gaps inside dense scrub of Juniperus communis (cover of 60%) to intact dense scrub (cover of 100%) on the island of Öland, Sweden. This measurement of potential reproduction (number of flower stems) was then compared to the number of species in the soil seed bank at each site along the alvar encroachment series. Scrub encroachment results in light attenuation between and under the shrubs. The total number of flower stems averaged over all species was similar between gaps and open alvar, but that of alvar species was significantly lower in the gaps, indicating that light attenuation could reduce their seed set. Shading in gaps is related to depletion of the soil seed bank and loss of alvar species, particularly those that do not form a persistent soil seed bank. |
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Bibliography: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-1051.2013.00288.x ArticleID:NJB288 the Dutch Science Foundation (NWO Biodiversity Works) istex:EE301E827A59DD2DCE97123991E8257962975689 the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency ark:/67375/WNG-L7S05NZP-8 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0107-055X 1756-1051 1756-1051 |
DOI: | 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2013.00288.x |