濒危植物明党参与非濒危种峨参种子休眠和萌发比较

研究了濒危植物明党参（Changium smyrnioides)与非濒危种峨参（Anthriscus sylvestris)种子贮存,打破休眠和萌发对水分和温度条件的要求。结果表明,在自然条件下,明党参种子有5个月的休眠期,人工低温（10℃左右）处理40天即可打破休眠;两种植物种子自然温度干燥处理不能打破休眠;两种植物的种子在自然温度变湿层积处理后萌发率最高,萌发持续时间也最长,其中明党参的萌发率地峨参,持续时间短于峨参;自然温度淹水处理大大降低了两种植物种子的萌发率,但明党参仍有7％的萌发率。明党参种子质量和发芽率不应是明党参濒危的直接原因,但因其具有种子产量低,幼苗数量少,存活率高的K－对策,当受到强烈干扰时,种群难以在短期内恢复,容易濒危。     

环境因素对伞形科两种植物种子萌发的影响

种子萌发模式是植物生活史策略中的一个主要特征。研究了环境因素对伞形科濒危植物明党参 (Changium smyrnioidesWolff)和非濒危植物峨参 (Anthriscussylvestris Hoffm.)种子萌发特性的影响。结果表明 ,温度是影响明党参和峨参这类冬性植物种子萌发的主要因素。两物种的种子萌发温度范围是 5～ 15℃ ,明党参种子的最适萌发温度是 10℃ ,峨参是 5℃ ,两物种在15℃时萌发率均已受抑制 ,到 18℃时几乎不萌发。两种植物种子的萌发率与温度显著负相关。两种植物种子在光照和黑暗条件下萌发率差异很小 ,均是中性种子。明党参种子在干燥条件下比峨参种子更容易失去活力 ,其种子的适宜含水量 (5 .9%～6 .4 % )比峨参 (<3.7% )高。种子质量好、萌发率高但种子产量低也是濒危植物种群更新的一个薄弱环节。     

濒危种明党参和非濒危种峨参生态策略的比较研究

濒危种明党参 (Changium smyrnioides Wolff) ,叶基生 ,只能利用近地面光 ;其地上叶面积比 (L ARa)高于非濒危种峨参(Anthriscussylvestris Hoffm.) ,即地上部投入更多的物质来截获光。明党参冬季萌发 ,直到早春均无竞争者 ,生长较好 ,但晚春～初夏受春季生长起来的草本植物的竞争抑制。峨参在水平和垂直两个方向上占领更大的空间 ,可获取更多的光 ,在草本层中竞争取胜。明党参不是耐遮荫种 ,主要分布在中国亚热带中～北部常绿阔叶林中呈岛屿状分布的落叶树下 ,以利用冬春季的光资源。这种生态策略决定了其分布区狭窄 ,种群小且生境破碎 ,抗干扰能力差 ,呈现出稀有和濒危。     

云南南部和中部地区公路旁紫茎泽兰土壤种子库分布格局

公路边缘生境促进外来植物的入侵,土壤种子库作为植被天然更新的物质基础对未来植被的构成至关重要。研究路旁生境中紫茎泽兰土壤种子库的分布格局,对揭示路旁紫茎泽兰种群的补充和更新、探讨公路与入侵植物之间的关系以及科学制定紫茎泽兰防除对策具有重要意义。本文在紫茎泽兰入侵的云南南部和中部地区选择三种不同级别的9条公路的23个取样地点,沿垂直于公路方向设置55条样线,采得374个10 cm?10 cm?10 cm土样。采用温室萌发法,研究了紫茎泽兰土壤种子库从公路沿线到邻近景观的储量、影响因子以及分布格局。结果表明：9条公路旁的土壤中贮藏着丰富的紫茎泽兰种子,其种子库密度变动于3 152～25 225 粒?m-2,占所有有效种子密度的平均比例为48.7%。公路级别、路旁景观类型和海拔对路旁紫茎泽兰种子库密度有显著影响,密度随公路级别的提高而增加;不同路旁景观类型中的种子库密度排序为：稀树林>稀树灌木林>撂荒地和荒坡>森林;海拔1 700～1 900 m范围内的种子库密度最大。不同样线的种子库密度值随垂直于公路的距离变化格局略有不同,平均密度值和平均种子数量占样线总数的比例值都呈单峰变化,在距离公路最近端已经有很高密度,大多数样线的高峰值出现在9 m以内。公路旁已经分布有一个紫茎泽兰种子带,因而提高路旁本地植物的盖度及郁闭度有利于控制紫茎泽兰通过种子更新进一步扩散。     

内蒙古退化草原狼毒种子的种群分布格局与散布机制

狼毒 (Stellera chamaejasme)为瑞香科多年生草本植物 ,是主要的草地有毒植物种类之一。采用邻接格子样方法和分布指数 (DI)以及平均拥挤度 (m* )指标 ,研究了内蒙古西辽河平原北部典型草原区内的狼毒 (Stellera chamaejasme)种子种群分布格局强度、类型与规模 ;根据顺序远离母株的取样调查 ,定量地分析了狼毒种子在 8个方向上的散布格局。结果表明 ,狼毒种子在落种期之前为随机分布 ,而在落种期结束后为聚集分布 ,种子种群斑块大小平均为 0 .0 8m2 。狼毒种子在 8个方向上的散布表现为不同的散布格局模式。在不同方向随着累积面积增加狼毒种子散布数量变化符合 L ogistic曲线增长。各方向种子散布数量与顺风风向频率显著正相关。狼毒种群具有“近母株散布”的种子散布机制 ,基本散布半径为 0～ 5 0 cm。狼毒种群通过种子散布扩展其分布空间的能力是很有限的     

近丘间低地沙障促进沙丘植被恢复的效应

流动沙丘区的丘间低地的土壤种子库大,种类丰富,但其对流动沙丘植被恢复的作用尚不清楚.以科尔沁沙地为研究对象,在靠近丘间低地的下风向裸沙段设置沙障,研究了其对土壤种子库、幼苗出土与植物定居的效应.结果表明:沙障处土壤种子库物种数和密度都显著大于对照处(P<0.05),5-10 cm深度种子密度达到土壤种子库密度的60%,而对照处低于50%;沙障内的沙生植物出土和定居幼苗密度都显著大干对照处(P<0.001),沙障处与对照处的非沙生植物出土幼苗密度低于1株·m~(-2),建植幼苗密度低至0.1株·m~(-2);对照处种子数与幼苗出土和定居的相关性相对于沙障处的更强,沙生植物种子数与幼苗出土和定居的相关性相对于非沙生植物的更强;对照处种子库与幼苗出土和定居的物种组成相似性较沙障处大,沙生植物种子库与幼苗出土和定居的相似性较非沙生植物大.可见,沙障截留来自丘间低地的种子增加了流动沙丘的土壤种子库种类和密度,改变了土壤种子库的空间格局;沙障的设立提高了沙生植物幼苗的出土和物种定居的水平,但没有显著提高非沙生植物幼苗的萌发和建植.     

天然东北红豆杉土壤种子库研究

在黑龙江省穆棱东北红豆杉自然保护区内,对10株天然东北红豆杉结实母树冠下的土壤种子库进行了调查分析.结果表明:东北红豆杉土壤种子库中的种子数量在垂直方向和水平方向上都表现出明显的规律性.在不同深度土层中的种子数量差异显著(p＜0.05).枯枝落叶层及0～5cm土层集中了最大量的种子,占总量的84%,随土层深度的增加,种子数量逐渐减少,15cm以下极少有种子出现.土壤种子库中具有活力的种子数量极少,不到总量的1%.种子丧失活力的首要原因是被昆虫和啮齿类动物啃食,占损失量的52%,其次是腐烂,占29%.在水平方向上,东北红豆杉种子具有近母株分布的特点,且在不同方向上种子数量差异极显著(p＜0.01).当年下落到地面的东北红豆杉种子,按远离母株的顺序,种子数量逐渐减少;在围绕母株的八个方向上,东向的种子数量最多,其次是东北、北和东南方向,西面的种子数量最少.当年下落的3%的完好种子补充到土壤种子库中.自然条件下,东北红豆杉以种子繁殖,土壤种子库是其自然更新及种群恢复的重要基础,本研究结果对于东北红豆杉濒危机制的探索及种群恢复具有重要的理论意义.     

松嫩平原碱化草甸朝鲜碱茅种子散布机制的分析

采用顺序远离母株取样的方法,定量分析了松嫩平原碱化草甸朝鲜碱茅（Ｐｕｃｃｉｎｅｌｌｉａｃｈｉｎａｍ ｐｏｅｎｓｉｓ Ｏｈｗ ｉ）的种子散布机制。结果表明,在８个方向中仅西南方向表现为近母株散布距离,其它７个方向均表现为远母株散布距离的种子散布机制。经相关性分析,朝鲜碱茅向不同的方向散布的种子数量与种子散布时期顺风向的风速和风向频率呈正相关,反映了朝鲜碱茅是借助于风媒介实现了远母株距离扩展潜在生态位空间的种群对策。朝鲜碱茅向母株周围散布的种子呈连续分布格局的散布半径平均为１７５ ｃｍ 。     

流动沙丘先锋灌木差巴嘎蒿的种子散布格局

通过对科尔沁沙地流动沙丘上先锋植物差巴嘎蒿的种子散布格局及机理的实验研究,主要得出以下结论:差巴嘎蒿母株向不同方向散布的种子,其数量与距离存在明显的差异.母株向西南方向散布的种子数量最多,种子累积数量高达4 590±1 260,比其它各方向多29%至12倍.向北方向散布的种子数量最少,距离最短,种子累积数量为344±44,距离仅在100 cm的范围内.不同方向差巴嘎蒿种子散布的密度均随着散布距离的增加而呈对数关系减小,表现出显著的相关性.不同方向差巴嘎蒿远离母株的种子散布密度与累积面积之间存在显著的相关性,其间关系可用对数曲线来描述.结果显示,差巴嘎蒿向不同方向散布的种子密度均随着累积面积的增加而增加.     

香果树(Emmenopterys henryi)种群种子雨、种子库及 实生苗数量的海拔梯度变化

香果树为我国Ⅱ级野生保护植物,由于原生境中香果树种群的数量迅速减少,目前已濒临灭绝,种群亟待恢复。研究了武夷山不同海拔的香果树种群种子雨、种子库及其幼苗存活现状,目的是阐明不同海拔地区的香果树种群自然更新的动态过程,寻找其更新脆弱的环节及其影响因素,为香果树自然种群的恢复提供理论依据。以分布于不同海拔高度（819、980、1 140及1 301 m）的香果树母树为中心,在其周围（东、南、西、北四个方位）布设种子雨收集框和土壤种子库样方,连续观测种子雨和种子库的动态,并对不同地表覆盖物中种子萌发及幼苗数量进行观测和记录。结果表明,武夷山香果树种群种子雨持续时间近2个月,尤其是11月底至12月中旬为种子雨高峰期;随着海拔的上升,香果树种子总密度以及虫蛀种子密度均显著降低,但千粒重以及饱满种子密度则有所增加;香果树土壤种子库为瞬时种子库,其水平分布以母树南侧和西侧种子密度较大,母树北侧种子密度最小。香果树种子的垂直分布主要集中于枯落物和苔藓层;3月时香果树土壤种子库中存留的饱满种子仅占种子散布后1.80%,而1年实生苗存活率为6.18%,土壤种子库的损耗是其种群自然更新困难的主要原因;不同地表覆盖物对香果树幼苗的存活产生显著影响,枯落物及苔藓层的幼苗死亡率显著高于土壤表面。建议清理林内枯落物及苔藓,增加林内裸露土壤的面积,减小地上草本的盖度,以减少种子霉烂、虫蛀的几率,增加香果树实生苗胚根与土壤接触的几率以及改善光照条件,促进香果树自然更新。     

土壤种子库的研究进展及若干研究热点

 土壤种子库是指存在于表层土壤（包括凋落物）中的有生命的种子。土壤种子库的研究已是植物生态学研究不可缺少的一部分,现已成为植物种群生态学中比较活跃的领域。土壤种子库时期是植物种群生活史的一个重要阶段,有人称之为潜种群阶段。土壤种子库对一年生植物来说尤其重要。土壤种子库简单地可分为瞬时土壤种子库和长久土壤种子库,即使给予理想的萌发条件如季节、温度、湿度等,土壤种子库中也仍有部分种子保持休眠状态,休眠的种子组成了土壤长久种子库的成分。时空异质性是土壤种子库的基本特性之一,不仅不同植被类型的土壤种子库具有不同的组成、大小和多样性,而且微环境也影响土壤种子库的分布格局。由于萌发、捕食和衰老等原因,土壤种子库具有季节动态,一般在旧种子萌发之后,新种子散布之前达到最低点。在高等植物占据的大多数生境中,以休眠繁殖体形式存在的个体远远超过地上植株的数量;土壤种子库、幼苗库和成年植被相互联系相互影响。由于各种原因如群落类型的差异、群落的演替阶段、取样的时间等,地上植被和土壤种子库之间关系大体上可分为两种情况,即相似性和差异性;研究土壤种子库的方法通常有萌发法和物理分离法。土壤种子库能部分反应群落的历史,对退化生态系统的恢复起着重要的作用。目前土壤种子库的主要研究热点问题可分为以下几个方面：1）土壤种子库的研究方法,2）土壤种子库的分类问题,3）土壤种子库分布的时空格局,4）地上植被和土壤种子库的关系,5）土壤种子库的动态等。     

淫羊藿种子产量与生境的关系

以四川省南充市金城山的淫羊藿为研究对象,对小檗科淫羊藿产果数量,种子生产和种子质量与生境的关系进行了研究。研究表明:不同生境的淫羊藿植株高度和花序长度不同,单株结果率也不同,单果产种量差异较小,出种量一般在1~8粒之间,但每个生境单果主要出种量不同。对千粒重和不同果枝结果率单因素方差分析表明,不同生境的淫羊藿种子千粒重有显著差异,不同生境的淫羊藿植株的主次果枝结果率也有显著差异。不同生境中的淫羊藿果实的虫食率也不同。淫羊藿种子的低种子数,小粒种子,而不同生境的结实率虽有差异,但是总体偏低,是导致淫羊藿种子难以收集的主要内因,也导致种群受干扰后不易恢复。     

动物与植物种子更新的关系Ⅱ．动物对种子的捕食、扩散、贮藏及与幼苗建成的关系

植物的繁殖体总是面临来自各类生物（如昆虫、脊椎动物、真菌）的捕食风险。因动物捕食引起的种子死亡率影响植物的适合度、种群动态、群落结构和物种多样性的保持。种子被捕食的时间和强度成为植物生活史中发芽速度、地下种子库等特征的主要选择压力,而种子大小、生境类型等因素也影响动物对植物种子的捕食。捕食者饱和现象被认为是植物和种子捕食者之间的高度协同进化作用的结果,是限制动物破坏种子、提高被扩散种子存活率的一种选择压力。大部分群落中的大多数植物种子被动物扩散。种子扩散影响种子密度、种子被捕食率、病原体攻击率、种子与母树的距离、种子到达的生境类型以及建成的植株将与何种植物竞争,从而影响种子和幼苗的存活,最终影响母树及后代植物的适合度。种子被动物扩散后的分布一般遵循负指数分布曲线,大多数种子并没有扩散到离母树很远的地方。捕食风险、生境类型、植被盖度均影响动物对种子的扩散。植物结实的季节和果实损耗的过程也体现了其对扩散机会的适应。许多动物有贮藏植物种子的行为。动物贮藏植物繁殖体的行为,一方面调节食物的时空分布,提高了贮食动物在食物缺乏期的生存概率;另一方面也为种子萌发提供了适宜条件,促进了植物的扩散。于是,植物与贮食动物形成了一种协同进化关系,这种关系可能是自然界互惠关系（mutualism)的一种。影响幼苗存活和建成的因子包括种子贮蒇点的微生境、湿度、坡向、坡度、林冠盖度等。许多果食性动物吃掉果肉后,再将完好的种子反刍或排泄出来。种子经动物消化道处理后,发芽率常有所提高。     

Origins of variance in seed number and mass: interaction of sex expression and herbivory in Lomatium salmoniflorum

Summary As in many plant species, Lomatium salmoniflorum (Umbelliferae) individuals produce many flowers, only a subset of which produce mature seeds that escape seed parasitism and enter the seed bank. The interrelationships between the timing and number of flowers produced, sex expression, seed set, and seed parasitism were studied for their direct and indirect effects on the numbers and masses of viable seeds produced by individual plants. In a sample population of 369 plants that produced 161 386 flowers, 76% of the plants produced some hermaphroditic flowers. The percentage of hermaphroditic flowers increased significantly with the total number of flowers produced by a plant. Seed set was 65–90% in plants producing >600 flowers, but was highly variable in plants producing fewer flowers. Hand-pollinated plants showed the same pattern of seed set, suggesting that variable seed set in small plants may result from insufficient resources for seed development. The majority of schizocarps was produced by only 12% of the plants. Parasites killed 24.5% of the seeds prior to dispersal. Another 14.5% of the seeds lacked endosperm. Hence, the initial 161 386 flowers, which included 25874 hermaphroditic flowers each capable of producing two seeds, produced 42 468 seeds of which an estimated 25906 entered the seed bank as undamaged seeds with fully developed endosperm. Path analysis indicated that the number of hermaphroditic flowers on a plant and the percentage of seeds attacked by seed parasites had the greatest direct effects on the number of viable seeds entering the seed bank. The date at which a plant began flowering and the percentage of flowers setting seed had smaller or only indirect effects on viable seed production. Mean seed mass for plants was not significantly related to any of the factors that affected seed number, but little of the variance in seed mass occurred among plants. Masses of intact seeds in the population ranged 9-fold in both 1987 and 1988. Thirty-five percent of the variance was among seeds within umbels, 46% was among umbels within plants, and only 19% was among plants. The large variation among umbels within plants resulted from a seasonal pattern in which seeds from umbels produced late in the spring had lower mean seed masses than seeds from umbels produced early in the spring. Overall, the results indicate that both direct and indirect interactions between number of flowers, the date of initiation of flowering, seed set, and seed parasitism affect the number of viable seeds entering the seed bank. These interactions strongly bias viable seed output to a small minority of plants that produce many seeds with a wide range of masses over the growing season.     

粪种子库的理论基础、影响因素和生态意义

成熟种子被动物采食和排泄后,沉积在粪便中的有活力的种子称为粪种子库。种子经动物消化道携带而实现传播的过程称为消化道传播,粪种子库是种子消化道传播的必经阶段和关键节点。粪种子库和种子消化道传播一直以来都是生态学家关注的热点。介绍了粪种子库的形成原因和理论基础,指出粪种子库是动-植物互作的结果;讨论了影响粪种子库结构和组成的因素,包括种子形态、动物种类和外界环境对粪种子库生态功能的调控作用;阐述了粪种子库的生态意义,主要表现为种子远距离传播、粪便物质返还以及促进植物群落更新和发展;最后指出将来关于粪种子库的研究需要重点关注的几个方面问题,以期为合理、全面认识粪种子库提供理论参考,并为深刻理解动-植物互作机制提供科学依据。     

The Effects of Habitat on Dispersal Patterns of an Invasive Thistle, Cynara Cardunculus

Dispersal of offspring is a critical step in the spread of invasive species, yet dispersal patterns are seldom well studied, inhibiting effective management and ecological understanding of invasions. Dispersal patterns can be affected by characteristics of the parent plant and by climatic or site characteristics, including community vegetation structure, but these factors have not been studied in the context of plant invasion processes. Cynara cardunculus (L.) is a polycarpic perennial thistle invasive in coastal grasslands in California that produces large numbers of wind-dispersed seeds. This study quantified and compared C. cardunculus dispersal patterns in an exotic grassland (vegetated site) and an agricultural field (non-vegetated site). Seed size variation in C. cardunculus was also quantified within inflorescences, between inflorescences, and between years of production, and compared across dispersal distances. Results indicate that dispersal distance increased dramatically from less than 20 m in the vegetated site to more than 40 m in the non-vegetated site. Plants producing fewer seeds produced heavier seeds and dispersal distance decreased over time, but seed size was not related to dispersal distance, which may serve to spread the risk to seeds or seedlings across the environment. C. cardunculus has great potential for dispersal in open areas such as agricultural fields or disturbed sites, but may be limited in highly structured natural communities. Management of C. cardunculus and other wind-dispersed plant invasions may be improved by prioritizing populations with open or disturbed areas downwind and minimizing the removal of vegetation during dispersal.     

Dispersal mechanisms of the narrow endemic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polygala vayredae</Emphasis>: dispersal syndromes and spatio-temporal variations in ant dispersal assemblages

This study assesses the dispersal mechanisms of the narrow endemic Polygala vayredae, analysing the functioning of its dispersal syndromes (anemochory and myrmecochory), the spatio-temporal variability of the disperser assemblage, foraging behaviour and dispersal ability, and the role of the elaiosome in ant attraction and seed germination. The dispersion of diaspores begins when either (1) capsules or seeds fall beneath the mother plant (barochory) or (2) the seeds are directly collected in the suspended capsules by ants (myrmecochory). As capsules frequently open and expose/disseminate seeds before leaving the mother plant, the adaptation for anemochory appears to be reduced and rarely functional, possibly with only occasional events of long-distance dispersal (e.g. under extreme weather conditions). P. vayredae is essentially myrmecochorous and a diverse array of ant species are involved in seed manipulation, with the elaiosome playing a major role in ant attraction. From the plant’s perspective for dispersal, the majority of ant species had a positive interaction with the seeds, but negative and potential neutral interactions were also observed. Overall, dispersal distances were limited and were mainly determined by ant body size. The frequency of interactions and the ant assemblage varied significantly both spatially and temporally, and these factors may have an effect on directing or disrupting the selection of plant traits. Low seed predation and similar germination rates of intact seeds compared with seeds without elaiosome indicate that seed predator avoidance and seed germination improvement after ant manipulation are not among the selective advantages of myrmecochory operating at present. Dispersal mechanisms that enhance seed dispersal within the population and only occasionally lead to long-distance dispersal events, along with the rarity and patchiness of suitable habitats, may be the main factors explaining the actual density and narrow distribution of this species.     

Population consequences of changes in an ant-seed mutualism in Sanguinaria canadensis

Summary Seed dispersal by ants was studied in three populations of the myrmecochore, Sanguinaria canadensis, located in three habitats, each of which showed a different level of disturbance. Frequency of seed removal and the distances seeds were carried by ants were related to plant density, dispersion and the relative proportions of sexual and asexual reproduction in each population. Seeds in the least disturbed habitat were removed frequently and carried, by a wide variety of ants, distances of up to 12 m. Plant density was low and clone size was small. There was a relatively low level of sexual (seed) reproduction but seeds were generally transported well beyond the boundaries of the parent clones. By contrast, at the most disturbed site, plant density was high and clone size was very large. While there was a high level of seed production, seeds were rarely moved by ants and since removal distances were short, the probability of a seed being relocated beyond the limits of the parent clone was miniscule. The third population from a habitat which was intermediate in disturbance yielded data intermediate to the others. The data show that habitat disturbance, in disrupting the ant fauna and hence the ant-seed mutualism, has profound effects upon population density, dispersion and patterns of reproduction. Density-dependent regulation of sexual output predicted, for example, by the Strawberry-Coral model (Williams 1975), is maladaptive when the antseed mutualism is disturbed. We discuss the implications of this for theoretical modeling, the significance of mutualisms and the assessment of disturbance for conservation.     

Seed dynamics of resprouting shrubs in grassy woodlands: Seed rain,predators and seed loss constrain recruitment potential

Abstract Measuring the fate of seeds between seed production and seedling establishment is critical in understanding mechanisms of recruitment limitation of plants. We examined seed fates to better understand the recruitment dynamics of four resprouting shrubs from two families (Fabaceae and Epacridaceae) in temperate grassy woodlands. We tested whether: (i) pre‐dispersal seed predation affected seed rain; (ii) post‐dispersal seed predation limited seed bank accumulation; (iii) the size of the seed bank was related to seed size; and (iv) viable seeds accumulated in the soil after seed rain. There was a distinct difference in seed production per plant between plant families with the legumes producing significantly more seeds per individual than the epacrids. Seed viability ranged from 43% to 81% and all viable had seed or fruit coat dormancy broken by heat or scarification. Pre‐dispersal predation by Lepidopteran larvae removed a large proportion of seed from the legume seed rain but not the epacrids. Four species of ants (Notoncus ectatomoides, Pheidole sp., Rhytidoponera tasmaniensis and Iridomyrmex purpureus) were major post‐dispersal seed removers. Overall, a greater percentage of Hardenbergia (38%) and Pultenaea (59%) seeds were removed than the fleshy fruits of Lissanthe (14%) or Melichrus (0%). Seed bank sizes were small (<15 seeds m^?2) relative to the seed rain and no significant accumulation of seed in the soil was detected. Lack of accumulation was attributed to seed predation as seed decay was considered unlikely and no seed germination was observed in our study sites. Our study suggests that seed predation is a key factor contributing to seed‐limited recruitment in grassy woodland shrubs by reducing the number of seeds stored in the soil.