Can a seed bank maintain the genetic variation in the above ground plant population

• Published in: Oikos Vol. 117; no. 1; pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Honnay, Olivier, Bossuyt, Beatrijs, Jacquemyn, Hans, Shimono, Ayako, Uchiyama, Kentaro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copenhagen Copenhagen : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2008; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell Publishing; Blackwell
• Subjects: Alleles; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation; Ecology; Endangered & extinct species; Forum; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Genetic diversity; Genetic variation; Genetics; Habitat fragmentation; Meta-analysis; Plant populations; Plants; Population genetics; Population size; Seed banks; Seed longevity; Seeds; Soil seed banks; Above ground plant part; Seed bank; Genetic variability

There are indications that a persistent seed bank can protect small and isolated plant populations from local extinction. Genetic mechanisms contributing to this phenomenon are the increase of local effective population size - and hence the decrease of genetic drift - through a reservoir of persiste...