Hidden biodiversity in the Arctic – a study of soil seed banks at Disko Island,Qeqertarsuaq, West Greenland

Seed dispersal is a key process in plant community dynamics, and soil seed banks represent seed dispersal in time rather than in space. Despite their potential importance, seed bank dynamics in the Arctic are poorly understood. We investigated soil seed banks and corresponding plant community composition in three contrasting vegetation types in West Greenland, viz. dwarf shrub heaths, herb slopes and fell‐fields. Through germination testing, 31 species were documented in soil seed banks. All of these were herbaceous, while no dwarf‐shrub species, which represents the dominating growth form in the above‐ground vegetation, were emerging from the seed bank. Consequently, across vegetation types, the lowest similarity between seed bank and above‐ground vegetation was found in dwarf shrub heath. Nine plant species were exclusively found in seed bank, all of which were non‐clonal forbs. Seed bank size (total number of seeds) and species richness seemed to increase with the level of natural disturbance. Additionally, we examined the effect of different experimental light and temperature conditions on the quantity and diversity of germinating seeds. The difference in diversity in vegetation and seed bank at the species level will impact population dynamics, regeneration of vegetation after disturbances and its potential to respond to climate change.     

Establishment of pasture species on cattle dung: the role of endozoochorous seeds

Abstract. The process of colonization of cattle dung patches and its relation to endozoochorous dispersal is analysed in a Mediterranean pasture. Dung pats dropped in spring and winter were marked, and the vegetation developing on them during the first two years of colonization was followed. The influence of endozoochorous seeds on dung colonization is assessed through the study of: (1) the vegetation on spring and winter dung pats and the seed contents of both, which is abundant in the former and negligible in the latter; and (2) the vegetation on spring dung pats compared with that of the surrounding pasture. The origin of plants growing on dung (either seeds in the manure or in the soil seed bank) was traced by studying dung colonization under controlled conditions in pots with manure put on seed-free sand, and on pasture turf. The results indicate that endozoochorous seeds germinate in manure; they are the main source of recovery in gaps generated by dung pats. The micro-succession involved is independent of the type of pasture. A small-scale spatial pattern results in which gaps of old dung are dominated by endozoochorous species. Thus, dung patches enhance the similarity between grazed communities, and the variation within communities.     

The roles of seed mass and persistent seed banks in gap colonisation in grassland

Gaps in grassland created by animals are often sites for species regeneration. The persistent seed banks of ant-hills and surrounding soils in a calcareous grassland in southern Britain were compared and analysed in terms of seed mass and longevity. The relative abundance of species on ant-hills compared to the pasture was highly correlated with seed abundance in ant-hill soil. The abundance of plant species on ant-hills compared to the pasture was significantly negatively correlated with seed mass, and positively correlated with seed longevity. These results suggest that germination from the seed bank in ant-hill soils, as well as limited seed dispersal and vegetative invasion, contributes to the distinctive ant-hill vegetation. The same may apply to other gaps created by animals in grasslands.     

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

Background and Aims

Seed banks are critical in arid ecosystems and ensure the persistence of species. Despite the importance of seed banks, knowledge about their formation and the extent to which a seed bank can recover after severe perturbation remains scarce. If undisturbed, soil seed banks reflect a long vegetation history; therefore, we would expect that new soil seed banks and those of undisturbed soils require long periods to become similar with respect to both density and composition. In contrast, if soil seed banks are only a short- to mid-term reservoir in which long-term accumulation constitutes only a tiny fraction, they will recover rapidly from the vegetation. To shed light on this question, we evaluated seed bank formation in a semi-arid gypsum community.

Methods

Soils from 300 plots were replaced with sterilized soil in an undisturbed semi-arid Mediterranean community. Seasonal changes in seed bank density and composition were monitored for 3 years by comparing paired sterilized and control soil samples at each plot.

Key Results

Differences in seed bank density between sterilized and control soil disappeared after 18 months. The composition of sterilized seed banks was correlated with that of the control plots from the first sampling date, and both were highly correlated with vegetation. Nearly 24 % of the seed bank density could be attributed to secondary dispersal. Most seeds died before emergence (66·41–71·33 %), whereas the rest either emerged (14·08–15·48 %) or persisted in the soil (14·59–18·11 %).

Conclusions

Seed banks can recover very rapidly even under the limiting and stressful conditions of semi-arid environments. This recovery is based mainly on the seed rain at small scales together with secondary dispersal from intact seed banks in the vicinity. These results emphasize the relevance of processes occurring on short spatial scales in determining community structure.     

Recruitment limitation of native species in invaded coastal dune communities

Recruitment limitation may limit the ability of sites to regenerate after disturbances such as weed invasion and weed management. We investigated seed bank constraints and dispersal limitation in coastal dune communities on the east coast of Australia. The ability of sites to regenerate naturally following weed removal was assessed in coastal dune communities invaded by the invasive alien, bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. rotundata). To investigate recruitment limitation, seed banks and vegetation of invaded, native, intensively managed (selective application of herbicide and some re-vegetation) and extensively managed (large-scale, non-selective herbicide application) sites were compared. We investigated the dispersal mechanisms of species in the seed bank and vegetation to determine if communities might be dispersal-limited, i.e. contain significant numbers of species with only short-distance dispersal capabilities. Species richness and composition of soil seed banks differed from the vegetation in foredunes and hinddunes. Invasion depleted seed banks further. About half of the species had short-distance dispersal mechanisms indicating the potential for dispersal limitation. Secondary weed invasion following management was evident although alien species occurred in both seed banks and vegetation. Our results indicated that coastal dune communities suffer recruitment limitation. Native, managed and invaded dune communities appear to be both seed bank and dispersal-limited although management and invasion exacerbates recruitment. Regeneration of coastal dune communities will require active reintroduction of species, particularly those with short-distance dispersal mechanisms.     

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。     

Endozoochorous seed dispersal by free-ranging herbivores in an abandoned landscape

Seed dispersal is a crucial process for the dynamics and maintenance of plant populations. Free-ranging animals are effective dispersal vectors because they can move between similar habitats and transport seeds into favourable environments. Dung samples from two species of common free-ranging mammals—deer and wild boar—were used to study endozoochorous dispersal of seeds in a military training area in western Bohemia. The area was abandoned after WWII, and the military training area was established in 1953. The vegetation consists of shrublands and dry grasslands. Data on the local species pool of grassland herbs and forbs were collected to compare the characteristics of dispersed versus non-dispersed plants. Deer and wild boar dispersed 84 plant species; however, species composition of seedlings emerging from dung samples showed significant differences between dispersal vectors and notable change across the growing season. 80% of all seedlings extracted from the dung samples belonged to stinging nettle, Urtica dioica. From trait analyses, seeds of endozoochorous plants had a higher longevity index in the soil seed bank than non-endozoochorous plants and more often possessed a mucilaginous surface. Our results show that deer and boar are successful, though not substitutable dispersers.     

Impact of management on vegetation dynamics and seed bank formation of inland dune grassland in Hungary

Seed bank formation and 7 years of vegetation dynamics were studied on permanent plots of a dry sandy pasture, Cynodonti-Festucetum pseudovinae. A stand overgrazed by domestic geese and a reference stand void of overgrazing were compared. Apart from this both stands were accidentally grazed by cattle. Vegetation of the overgrazed stand was significantly more species-rich, especially in summer annuals. The reference was dominated with perennials and winter annuals. Composition and dominance changed considerably at both stands but only composition became more alike. Declining species richness and increasing dominance of perennials was found in the overgrazed stand. The reference stand became dominated with the dwarf-shrub Thymus degenianus. Species richness of the overgrazed stand showed greater seasonal and year-to-year variation than that of the reference. No temporal change of nutrient availability was found and neither was a difference detected between the stands.Greenhouse germination revealed more dense and more species-rich seed bank in the overgrazed stand. Its established vegetation and soil seed bank were also more alike. Higher species richness of the overgrazed stand can be associated with intensive propagule dispersal of geese, as indicated by dense seed banks of zoochorous hygrophytes delivered from neighbouring wetlands. Relatively high representation of persistent seed bank records suggests that, except for some sensitive perennials, the studied community is adapted to recurrent disturbances. Community regeneration seems to be limited by slow spread of perennial graminoids.     

Linking the pattern to the mechanism: How an introduced mammal facilitates plant invasions

Non‐native mammals that are disturbance agents can promote non‐native plant invasions, but to date there is scant evidence on the mechanisms behind this pattern. We used wild boar (Sus scrofa) as a model species to evaluate the role of non‐native mammals in promoting plant invasion by identifying the degree to which soil disturbance and endozoochorous seed dispersal drive plant invasions. To test if soil disturbance promotes plant invasion, we conducted an exclosure experiment in which we recorded emergence, establishment and biomass of seedlings of seven non‐native plant species planted in no‐rooting, boar‐rooting and artificial rooting patches in Patagonia, Argentina. To examine the role of boar in dispersing seeds we germinated viable seeds from 181 boar droppings and compared this collection to the soil seed bank by collecting a soil sample adjacent to each dropping. We found that both establishment and biomass of non‐native seedlings in boar‐rooting patches were double those in no‐rooting patches. Values in artificial rooting patches were intermediate between those in boar‐rooting and no‐rooting treatments. By contrast, we found that the proportion of non‐native seedlings in the soil samples was double that in the droppings, and over 80% of the germinated seeds were native species in both samples. Lastly, an effect size test showed that soil disturbance by wild boar rather than endozoochorous dispersal facilitates plant invasions. These results have implications for both the native and introduced ranges of wild boar, where rooting disturbance may facilitate community composition shifts.     

Climate and microhabitat shape the prevalence of endozoochory in the seed rain of tropical montane forests

Endozoochory, the dispersal of seeds by animal ingestion, is the most dominant mode of seed dispersal in tropical forests and is a key process shaping current and future forest dynamics. However, it remains largely unknown how endozoochory is associated with environmental conditions at regional and local scales. Here, we investigated the effects of elevation, climate, and microhabitat conditions on the proportion of endozoochorous plant species in the seed rain of the tropical Andes of southern Ecuador. Over 1 year, we measured seed rain in 162 seed traps on nine 1-ha forest plots located at 1000, 2000, and 3000 m a.s.l. We recorded climatic conditions (mean annual temperature and rainfall) in each plot and microhabitat conditions (leaf area index and soil moisture) adjacent to each seed trap. In total, we recorded 331,838 seeds belonging to 323 morphospecies. Overall, the proportion of endozoochorous species in the seed rain decreased with elevation. The relative biomass of endozoochorous species decreased with increasing rainfall, whereas the relative seed richness of endozoochorous species increased with increasing temperature and leaf area index. These findings suggest an interplay between climate factors and microhabitat conditions in shaping the importance of endozoochorous plant species in the seed rain of tropical montane forests. We conclude that changing climatic and microhabitat conditions are likely to cause changes in the dominant dispersal modes of plant communities which may trigger changes in the current and future dynamics of tropical forests.     

Burial increases seed longevity of two Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) subspecies

? Premise of the study: Seed longevity and persistence in soil seed banks may be especially important for population persistence in ecosystems where opportunities for seedling establishment and disturbance are unpredictable. The fire regime, an important driver of population dynamics in sagebrush steppe ecosystems, has been altered by exotic annual grass invasion. Soil seed banks may play an active role in postfire recovery of the foundation shrub Artemisia tridentata, yet conditions under which seeds persist are largely unknown. ? Methods: We investigated seed longevity of two Artemisia tridentata subspecies in situ by retrieving seed bags that were placed at varying depths over a 2 yr period. We also sampled naturally dispersed seeds in litter and soil immediately after seed dispersal and before flowering in subsequent seasons to estimate seed persistence. ? Key results: After 24 mo, seeds buried at least 3 cm below the soil surface retained 30-40% viability whereas viability of seeds on the surface and under litter declined to 0 and < 11%, respectively. The density of naturally dispersed seeds in the seed bank was highly heterogeneous both spatially and temporally, and attrition varied significantly by region. ? Conclusions: Our study suggests that Artemisia tridentata has the potential to form a short-term soil seed bank that persists longer than has been commonly assumed, and that burial is necessary for seed longevity. Use of seeding techniques that promote burial of some seeds to aid in formation of a soil seed bank may increase restoration potential.     

元江流域干热河谷灌草丛土壤种子库与地上植物群落的物种组成比较

土壤种子库与地上植被之间的关系和相似性是长期争议的群落生态学问题之一。本研究旨在通过比较元江流域干热河谷典型灌草丛群落与其土壤种子库的物种组成, 探讨土壤种子库与地上植物群落存在怎样的相似性关系。在元江干热河谷上、中、下游选取典型灌草丛群落, 采用典型样地调查法进行植物群落调查, 同时在样方内采集0-5 cm、5-10 cm、10-15 cm三层土壤样品, 采用萌发实验研究土壤种子库的种子数量和物种组成, 并与地上植物群落进行比较。结果表明: (1)全部调查样方的地上植被中共包含种子植物76种, 隶属于25科64属, 主要集中在豆科、禾本科、菊科、大戟科, 群落物种组成以多年生草本为主、灌木为辅; (2)土壤种子库中共发现33种植物, 隶属于14科32属, 以旱生型禾本科、豆科、菊科物种为主; (3)土壤种子库中的植物种子密度在表层土壤中最高, 随着土层的加深而递减; (4)各样方的土壤种子库与地上群落共有物种数较少, 相似性较低; 土壤种子库密度与地上群落的种群密度没有显著的相关性。总体而言, 本研究发现元江流域干热河谷典型灌草丛群落其土壤种子库与地上群落之间没有显著的相关性, 并且地上群落和土壤种子库都有外来入侵种类。     

湿地土壤种子库与地上植被相似性关系研究评述

土壤种子库与地上植被的关系是土壤种子库研究的重要组成部分。当前,湿地生态系统面临严重威胁,研究湿地土壤种子库和地上植被关系既可以加强对土壤种子库和植物群落特征的认识,又可以为湿地保护与管理提供理论指导。检索了科学引文索引扩展版(SCIE)数据库中收录的1900—2012年间研究湿地土壤种子库与地上植被关系的文献,通过分析土壤种子库与地上植被的Srensen相似性系数,结果发现:不同湿地类型的土壤种子库和地上植被的相似性存在显著差异,河流湿地中两者的相似性最小;不同植被类型中土壤种子库与地上植被的相似性差异显著:草本群落的相似性大于乔木群落;不同气候带的湿地中两者的相似性也存在显著差异,其中亚热带地区相似性最小。总结了湿地种子库与地上植被相似性关系的时空变化特征。二者的相似性通常随着植物群落的演替而减小,在空间上也随着环境梯度而变化。分析了两者关系的影响因素,如种子传播、环境条件和繁殖策略等。对研究中存在的问题及发展方向提出建议。     

滇东南岩溶山地退化植被土壤种子库的储量与组成

 在云南省东南部3个典型岩溶地点的土壤种子库储量与组成的研究表明,不同地点代表不同退化与恢复阶段的次生林、灌丛与退化草地的土壤内均储藏有丰富的植物种子,其密度值变动于4 090～14 930粒·m－2之间;物种数23～45种,其中草本物种及其种子储量最丰, 灌木次之,乔木和藤本及其种子稀少。在0～10 cm土层内,随着深度的加深,种子密度由0～2 cm,2～5 cm,5～10 cm逐渐减少,次生林的降低幅度相对较小。相对而言,种子密度值、物种数都以次生林为高,灌丛与退化草地之间的差异较小。同时次生林种子库中的乔、灌木的种子数量相对较多,而草本相对较少。从物种组成来看,少数物种的种子在库中的储量十分丰富,且各种子库间在物种组成上有很大的相似性,同一地点的3种植被类型间的两两相似性系数在0.6～0.7之间,不同地点的任一两类型间的相似性系数在0.4～0.6之间。9.3%的物种在所有样地内都出现。每一种子库中储量最丰的前3位都来自菊科的胜红蓟（Ageratum conyzoides）、劲直白酒草(Conyza stricta)、紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)、一点红（Emilia sonchifolia）,唇形科的鸡骨柴（Elsholtzia fruticosa）,蔷薇科的长毛绣线菊(Spiraea martinii var. pubescens)。     

生态位限制和物种库限制对湖滨湿地植物群落分布格局的影响

研究了物种库限制与生态位限制在湖滨湿地植物分布格局形成过程中的相对重要性。在龙感湖湖滨湿地具有明显水位梯度的湿生植 物区、挺水植物区和沉水植物区采集种子库土样, 采用幼苗萌发法确定了不同水位区种子库的物种成分;并将不同水位区的种子库土样分别置于0、25和50cm3个水位下萌发和生长, 45和90d后比较不同取样区种子库在不同水位处理下所建立的植物群落的异同。结果表明, 不同取样区的种子库物种成分有显著差异, 沿水深梯度呈现明显的带状分布格局。水位处理实验表明, 0cm水位条件下的群落主要由湿生植物和挺水植物组成, 而25和50cm水位下只有沉水植物, 表明不同功能群的物种对水深有不同的耐受力, 生态位限制是决定湿地植物分布格局的关键因子。同时, 挺水植物区的种子库置于沉水条件下, 以及沉水植物区的种子库置于0cm水位下都只能形成极为简单的植物群落, 表明物种库限制对湿地植物群落的形成同样具有显著影响。研究表明, 湿地植物的群落构成与分布格局是由生态位限制和物种库限制共同决定的, 两者的相对重要性可能取决于水体的稳定性。     

Fire effects on the soil seed bank and post‐fire resilience of a semi‐arid shrubland in central Argentina

Soil seed bank is an important source of resilience of plant communities who suffered disturbances. We analysed the effect of an intense fire in the soil seed bank of a semi‐arid shrubland of Córdoba Argentina. We asked if the fire affected seed abundance, floristic and functional composition of the soil seed bank at two different layers (0–5 cm and 5–10 cm), and if fire could compromise the role of the soil seed bank as a source of resilience for the vegetation. We collected soil samples from a burned site and from a control site that had not burned. Samples were installed in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. During 12 months, we recorded all germinated seedlings. We compare soil seed bank with pre‐fire vegetation in terms of floristic and functional composition. The high‐intensity fire deeply affected the abundance of seeds in the soil, but it did not affect its floristic or functional composition. Floristic and functional composition of soil seed banks – at burned and unburned sites‐ differed markedly from that of the pre‐fire vegetation, although a previous study at the same site indicated high resilience after fire of this plant community. Our results indicate that resilience of this system is not strongly dependent on direct germination from seeds buried in the soil. Other sources of resilience, like colonization from neighbouring vegetation patches and resprouting from underground organs appear to gain relevance after an intense fire.     

Plant distribution patterns related to species characteristics and spatial and temporal habitat heterogeneity in a network of ditch banks

In this study we investigated the relationship between the distributionpatterns of a number of herbaceous plant species and the isolation and age ofhabitat patches. The study was conducted for a network of ditch banks in anagricultural landscape in The Netherlands. Thirteen plant species were selectedrepresenting contrasting dispersal and seed bank characteristics. Isolation ofhabitat patches was determined by the distance to the nearest occupied patchandby the number of occupied patches in circles of increasing radius around thepatches. Age was the number of years since the creation of the ditches. In amultiple logistic regression model the separate effects of age of the habitatand the spatial variables were analyzed. A number of habitat variables wereusedto correct the effect of habitat quality. We concluded that distributionpatterns of plant species were mainly determined by habitat quality and thepresence of seed sources at short distances (< 25 m). Thisconclusion was independent of the dispersal characteristics of the species.Mostspecies had higher occupation frequencies in older than younger ditch banks.Only species with persistent seeds had comparable occupation probabilities inolder and younger habitat patches, indicating the importance of the soil seedbank as a source of colonization after large-scale disturbances. The effect ofage and management on the occupation probabilities of the species was oftendiminished in the regression model, probably due to correlation between somehabitat variables and the age of the patches.     

Wetland drying indirectly influences plant community and seed bank diversity through soil pH

High altitude wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau have been shrinking due to anthropogenic disturbances and global climate change. However, the few studies that have been conducted on wetlands are inconclusive about the effect of soil moisture on seed banks and potential of seed banks in wetlands with different levels of soil moisture for regeneration of dried wetlands. We investigated seed banks and plant communities along a soil moisture gradient. A structural equation model was used to analyze the direct and indirect effects of soil moisture on seed banks, as well as the relationship between plant communities and seed banks. Although soil moisture had no direct effects on seed bank richness and density and indirect effects on seed banks through plant community, it had indirect effects on the seed bank through soil pH. Soil moisture also did not have direct effects on plant community richness, but it had indirect effects through soil pH. Plant community composition changed with soil moisture, but aboveground plant abundance and seed banks composition did not change. Low similarity exists between plant community and seed banks for all wetlands, and similarity decreased along the moisture gradient. The key factor determining plant community diversity was soil pH, while seed bank diversity was mainly affected by soil pH and plant community diversity with wetland drying. Although potential for regenerating the plant community from the seed bank decreased with an increase in soil moisture, drained wetlands still have enough residual seeds for successful restoration of species-rich alpine meadows.     

Assessing soil seed bank persistence in flood‐meadows: The search for reliable traits

Abstract. To assess seed bank persistence of target species in endangered flood‐meadows (alliances Cnidion and Molinion), we investigated established vegetation and soil seed bank of 46 plots for 3 yr and 2 yr, respectively. As traits of seed persistence we calculated various continuous indices that refer to the frequency and abundance of species in above‐ground vegetation and at different soil depths. Furthermore, we tested the significance and soundness of easily observed traits such as maximum seed density per plot and seed attributes (mass, size and shape) as predictors of soil seed bank features. In linear regression, SAI, the seed accumulation index, showed the best agreement (R²= 0.64) with the seed longevity index that was derived from the database by Thompson et al. (1997) for a set of 115 species. The second best predictor (R²= 0.39) of the seed longevity index was maximum seed density per plot in the lower soil layer (5–10 cm). Depth distribution indices and seed attributes showed weaker but still significant relations. The dynamic character of flood‐meadows was reflected by a large proportion of species with a strong tendency to accumulate seeds in the soil relative to their importance in above‐ground vegetation. Most of these species have a ruderal strategy, exploiting gaps after flood disturbances, while the dominants of flood‐meadows tended to have short‐lived seed banks. Compared to other grassland types, a relatively large proportion of rare and endangered target species can be expected to form long‐term persistent seed banks. However, only under marginal conditions that facilitate seed survival in the soil (e.g. fallow) are these persistent seed banks likely to contribute to restoration. We conclude that easily observed traits of persistence such as seed weight, size and shape do not meet the accuracy needed in scientific and practical applications. Thus, there is a crucial demand for further seed bank studies in poorly investigated habitats and of rare species.     

Regeneration Potential of Floodplain Forests Under the Influence of Nonnative Tree Species: Soil Seed Bank Analysis in Northern Italy

Soil seed banks are the ecological memory of plant communities and might represent their regeneration potential. This study examines the soil seed bank in hardwood floodplain forests of the biosphere reserve “Valle del Ticino” (Northern Italy) to find out whether the natural forest vegetation can potentially be restored by the soil seed bank. We compared near natural forests of the phytosociological association Polygonato multiflori–Quercetum roboris with stands dominated by the nonnative tree species Robinia pseudoacacia and Prunus serotina in order to investigate whether the composition of the soil seed bank is significantly influenced by the composition of the main canopy tree species and soil properties. Soil seed bank samples were taken from 20 randomly selected plots in stands that were differentiated into four groups related to the dominant forest canopy species. The germinated plants were counted and their species determined. A total of 2,427 plants belonging to 84 species were recorded. The composition of the dominant tree species and soil parameters significantly influence the composition of the seed bank. The similarity with the standing vegetation was very low. Only 13% of the species in the soil seed bank represent the target vegetation. The low percentage of target species and the high percentage of nonnative species imply that the regeneration of near‐natural forest vegetation from the soil seed bank is not feasible. Consequently, disturbances that may activate the soil seed bank should be minimized. Thus, we recommend stopping the mechanical removal of the nonnative tree species in the Ticino Park .