Fire,canopy cover and seedling dynamics in Mediterranean shrubland of northeastern Spain

Abstract. Seedling establishment and survival of the main woody species of early-successional shrubland in northeastern Spain were studied from 1992 to 1995 with emphasis on the importance of vegetation cover (existence of open areas and the situation beneath the plant canopy) and microhabitat (occurrence of stones, litter and bare soil). In the absence of fire, vegetation cover (measured at a scale of 30cm × 30 cm) was not correlated with seedling emergence of most species, nor with growth and survival of seedlings up to one year old. Seedlings older than one year showed a similar pattern: their density was not significantly different in both kinds of habitats. The emergence of seedlings was mainly associated with the presence of mature plants – which can provide seeds – and with the absence of unsuitable microhabitats (large stones, deep litter and bare soil). In April 1994 a wildfire burned the study area. This enabled a study of the pattern of post-fire establishment. After the wildfire, seedling emergence of several species increased and most species produced seedlings with higher survival and growth rates than in the period before the fire. Pre-fire cover, however, did not show significant effects on post-fire seedling dynamics in most cases.     

Microenvironmental conditions for Japanese alder seedling establishment in a hummocky fen

In this article, we focused on hummocky microtopography as a prominent feature of mires and explored the microenvironmental conditions suitable for alder seedling establishment. Japanese alder (Alnus japonica) forest is widely distributed in wetlands in northern Japan. However, because alder seedlings are rare in mires, alder population dynamics and conditions that favor the establishment of alder seedlings are still unknown. The study was conducted in northern Japan at a site in mesotrophic mire. We surveyed the seedling density, the microenvironmental conditions (light, litter cover, and soil quality), and the density of dispersed seeds in alder forest and in the adjacent herbaceous fen. In addition, we performed a laboratory experiment to examine the germination characteristics of alder. Seedlings grew only on hummocks in alder forest. The percentage of litter cover on hummocks was lower than in hollows, and the density of dispersed seeds in alder forest was much higher than in herbaceous fen. Seeds of Japanese alder germinated under both light and dark conditions, and the germination rate were high under light and high-temperature conditions. Our results suggest that litter cover may inhibit seedling establishment and hummocks that characterized by less litter cover are suitable place for the establishment of seedlings. We conclude that hummocky microtopography and abundant seed rain in the mire enable the establishment of Japanese alder seedlings.     

The establishment patterns of tree seedlings are determined immediately after wildfire in a black spruce (Picea mariana) forest

Fire severity is predicted to increase in boreal regions due to global warming. We hypothesized that these extreme events will alter regeneration patterns of black spruce (Picea mariana). To test this hypothesis, we monitored seed dispersal and seedling emergence, survival and growth for 6 years from 2005 to 2010 after the 2004 wildfire on Poker Flat, interior Alaska, using 96 1 × 1 m plots. A total of 1,300 seedlings of black spruce and three broad-leaved deciduous trees (Populus tremuloides, Betula papyrifera, and Salix spp.) were recorded. Black spruce seedlings colonized burned and unburned ground surfaces for the first 2 years after the wildfire and established on any topographical surface, while the broad-leaved trees emerged less in areas of lower elevation, slope gradient and canopy openness and only on burned surfaces. Vascular plant cover on the ground floor increased the seedling establishment of black spruce and broad-leaved trees, most likely because of seed-trap effects. Black spruce grew faster on burned surface than on unburned surfaces. However, broad-leaved trees grew faster than black spruce on burned surfaces. Black spruce regenerates even after severe wildfire when the microtopography restricts the colonization of broad-leaved trees. The regeneration trajectories are determined soon after wildfire by a combination of seed limitation for black spruce and habitat preference for broad-leaved trees.     

Small-scale Environmental Heterogeneity and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Seedling Establishment in a Semiarid Degraded Ecosystem

In semiarid environments, surface soil properties play a major role in ecosystem dynamics, through their influence on processes such as runoff, infiltration, seed germination, and seedling establishment. Surface soil properties usually show a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in semiarid areas, but direct tests to evaluate the consequences of this heterogeneity on seedling establishment are limited. Using a combination of spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE) and principal components analysis (PCA) we quantified the spatiotemporal patterns of seedling survival of a Mediterranean native shrub (Pistacia lentiscus) during the first 3 years after planting on a semiarid degraded site in southeastern Spain. We used a variation partitioning method to identify environmental variables associated with seedling survival patterns. Three years after planting, only 36% of the seedlings survived. During the first summer, one-third of the seedlings died, with secondary major mortality in the 3rd summer after planting. The spatial pattern of survival became strongly clumped by the end of the first summer, with clearly defined patches (areas of high survival) and gaps (areas of low survival). The intensity of this pattern increased after subsequent high-mortality periods. Of the 14 variables, the ones most strongly coupled to seedling survival were bare soil cover, sand content, and soil compaction. These findings contribute to our understanding of the linkages between the spatial heterogeneity of abiotic factors and the response of plant populations in semiarid degraded ecosystems and can be used to optimize restoration practices in these areas.     

Ecological relationships between seedling emergence and litter cover in the earliest stage of plant succession on sandy soil

The relationships between seedling emergence and litter cover were studied in the earliest successional stage of a plant community. During a period of 3 years, changes in vegetation cover and species composition were assessed on three permanent quadrats with virgin sandy soil substrates A successional pattern from summer annual grasses to winter annual herbacoeus plants to biennial and perennial plants was confirmed, and invasion and replacement of the component species were conspicuous. The spatial distributions of seedlings and litter were heterogeneous in winter, and some patches consisting of both seedlings and litter were observed. There was a strong positive correlation between distribution patterns of seedlings and litter; seedling density increased with increasing litter cover. The results suggest that the litter cover of the previous stage plays an imporrant role in promoting successional changes in the early stage of plant succession.     

Effects of soil disturbance,fire and litter accumulation on the establishment of Cistus clusii seedlings

Cistus clusii is an early successional shrub, the most drought-resistant species of Cistus which colonises perturbed areas in the southern Iberian Peninsula and regenerates entirely from seeds after a fire. Some of the factors controlling germination and seedling establishment were examined in a field experiment in which we tested the effect of soil disturbance, fire, and litter accumulation on seedling emergence. In a first experiment, soil disturbance and fire were applied to plots in the field with a factorial design in April 1992. In a second experiment, we measured the effect of adding C. clusii litter. The number of seedlings, annual plants and grasses, and the coverage of mosses were recorded in 1993 and 1994.Soil disturbance increased the number of C. clusii seedlings almost seven-fold but did not change the number of grasses, annual plants nor moss cover. Fire significantly increased the number of C. clusii seedlings only in combination with soil disturbance, and it did not affect the presence of annuals, grasses nor moss cover. Litter increased the number of C. clusii seedlings in the following two years.Overall, soil disturbance as a single factor had the most significant effect on seedling emergence, though plots disturbed and treated with fire had the highest number of seedlings, implying that germination of C. clusii seeds was enhanced by processes that alter the hard seed coat and break the physical dormancy imposed by the testa. In addition, recruitment of C. clusii was dependent on rainfall, as drought significantly reduced the number of seedlings appearing in winter.     

长白山不同演替阶段温带森林林下草本植物对乔木幼苗的影响

为了解次生针阔混交林和阔叶红松林林下草本植物对幼苗生长和存活的影响,基于长白山次生针阔混交林样地(Ⅰ)和阔叶红松林样地(Ⅱ),以246个1 m×1 m幼苗样方中乔木幼苗为研究对象,通过去除草本植物的对照试验探究草本植物对乔木幼苗高度生长和存活率的影响。结果表明,(1)群落水平上,草本植物去除有助于林下乔木幼苗的高度生长。次生针阔混交林和阔叶红松林中幼苗高度生长量在除草后较对照组均有显著提高,且阔叶红松林中幼苗高度增长在对照组和处理组中均高于次生针阔混交林。(2)去除草本植物对不同年龄级水平乔木幼苗高度生长影响不同。次生针阔混交林中,去除草本显著促进四年生及以上幼苗高度生长,对一至三年生幼苗影响不显著;阔叶红松中去除草本显著促进一至三年生幼苗高度生长,对四年生及以上幼苗影响不显著。(3)除草处理后,水曲柳幼苗高度生长量在两处样地均显著增加,假色槭幼苗高度增长量只在次生针阔混交林中显著增加,而其他幼苗高度增长量只在阔叶红松林中显著增加。(4)次生针阔混交林中,幼苗存活率与草本多度和物种数呈正相关关系,与草本盖度无相关关系;阔叶红松林中幼苗存活率与草本物种数呈正相关关系,与草本多度和盖度无相关关系。结果表明,草本植物会抑制乔木幼苗高度生长;虽可能在一定程度上有助于改善微生境,但未显著提高幼苗存活率。     

Seedling establishment of deciduous trees in various topographic positions

Abstract. We investigated the effect of topography‐related environmental factors (i.e., ground‐surface stability and soil moisture) on seedling establishment of 8 deciduous tree species. A field experiment was carried out using canopy species, which were classified into 3 groups based on the spatial distribution of adult trees (ridge, slope and valley). Demographic parameters were compared among species during the early stage of seedling establishment among 3 topographic positions in combination with gap and canopy conditions. The percentage of emerging seedlings tended to be lower on the ridge irrespective of the adult topographical distribution patterns. There was no clear trend in seedling emergence among the species groups classified by their spatial distribution. Seedling survival during 2 growing seasons was significantly different among species, topographic positions and light conditions. On the ridge, seedlings of the species dominating ridge tops had greater survival than those of other species, probably due to differences in demand for soil moisture. On the slope, frequent physical damage caused by surface material movement was observed and some species showed greater adaptability to the disturbed slope habitat. Survival of all seedlings was highest in the valley plots. Light conditions were the critical factor for seedling survival in some species. The results of this study suggest that topography creates diverse habitats for the establishment of tree seedlings. In addition to soil moisture, surface material movement may be a significant factor affecting seedling establishment.     

浇水频率和凋落物覆盖量对黧蒴锥种子萌发及幼苗存活的影响

黧蒴锥是华南用于人工造林和生态恢复的优良乡土树种.选取浇水频率和凋落物覆盖量两个控制因子,研究在不同的土壤湿度和凋落物覆盖量条件下,黧蒴锥种子萌发及幼苗存活和生长特征.结果表明: 凋落物对黧蒴锥种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响与环境的潮湿程度相关.当浇水频率为每天1次时,凋落物覆盖会抑制黧蒴锥种子萌发和幼苗早期生长,导致种子萌发率降低、幼苗死亡率提高; 在浇水频率为2 d 1次和3 d 1次时,凋落物覆盖可以改善土壤的水分状况,有助于种子萌发和幼苗存活.凋落物覆盖还可以显著地提高幼苗的生物量.在通过播种来实现亚热带灌木林地更新时,可利用凋落物覆盖促进黧蒴锥的种子萌发和幼苗存活.     

浙江天童常绿阔叶林地被层的研究

 对天童常绿阔叶林地被层植物种类组成及群落学作用进行了初步研究。研究表明：组成地被层计有维管植物44科78属114种。蕨类植物优势度最大,里白占绝对优势。39种草木植物,以世界分布科和地面芽植物为主,常绿种类占84.6％,未见亚洲和北美洲间断分布的地理成分。乔灌木幼苗51种,80%的苗量集中于4～6个种中,优势种突出。藤本植物24种,草质藤本占25％,落叶种类42％。地面苔藓植物(22种)与枯枝落叶构成镶嵌分布,发育较成熟的群落中苔藓种类多,盖度大。里白及其枯死物形成层层交错重叠的地被层,阻碍凋落物进入地表,减弱光照,使近地表光照长期低于幼苗光补偿点,抑制了乔灌木优势种的更新。凋落物阻碍种子下移至半分解层,栲树种子下移率为17％至22.3％,冬季种子的动物损耗率平均为98.2％,凋落物中种子的平均腐烂率为28.2％,表层保存下来的栲树种子因缺水萌发速度慢且成活率低,下层萌发速度虽快,但腐烂率高,栲树天然更新幼苗主要来源于草窗。     

Seedling establishment of five evergreen tree species in relation to topography,sika deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cervus nippon yakushimae</Emphasis>) and soil surface environments

We investigated the seedling survival of five evergreen tree species over 3 years inside and outside deer-exclusion fences in a warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved forest on Yakushima Island, Japan. Seedling survival was examined in relation to topography, herbivory by sika deer, and the soil surface environment (i.e., soil surface wetness, light conditions, slope inclination, and soil disturbance). The study species included Myrsine seguinii Lév., Syzygium buxifolium Hook. et Arn. (Group A: species distributed on the upper slope of the study site), Litsea accuminata (Bl.) Kurata, Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms (Group B: species distributed on the lower slope), and Cleyera japonica Thunb. p.p. emend. Sieb. et Zucc. (Group C: species distributed on both slopes). The soil surface environment on the upper slope was drier, lighter, and more easily disturbed than the lower slope. Generalized linear model analyses indicated that seedling survival in fenced and unfenced quadrats was greater on the upper slope than on the lower slope for Group A and B species but not for Group C species. A micro-spatial scale analysis revealed that seedling survival was correlated with soil wetness, ground light conditions, and soil disturbance but not slope inclination. These results indicate that seedling survival was correlated with topography, sika deer herbivory, and the micro-spatial scale environment. Topography-related differences in seedling survival appear to adequately reflect the observed adult plant distributions for Group A and C species but not for Group B species.     

Rodent-favored cache sites do not favor seedling establishment of shade-intolerant wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca Linn.) in northern China

Seed dispersal by scatter hoarders is widely assumed to involve directed dispersal, in which microhabitats selected for caching also benefit seedling establishment and growth. However, in many systems, this may not be true if animal-favored cache sites do not match the safe sites for plants, or if cache sites benefit the plant in one life stage and not another. Here, we investigated whether cache sites selected by rodents are favorable for seedling establishment and growth of shade-intolerant wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca Linn.) in northern China. We tracked tagged seeds and compared the germination and growth of seedlings from rodent-cached seeds with that of naturally established seedlings in a secondary forest and shrubland stand. Rodents preferred to cache seeds under shrubs with medium canopy cover (31–60 %) in litter substrate in the secondary forest, and under shrubs with high canopy cover (>60 %) in soil or litter substrate in the shrubland stand, neither of which conveyed an advantage for seedling establishment. Although fewer caches were made along shrub edges, or under low canopy cover (≤30 %) in the secondary forest, or along shrub edges, open areas of grass, or under low canopy cover in the shrubland stand, these cache sites consistently contributed to higher survival rates. The microhabitats of grass, soil, or low canopy cover significantly promoted the emergence, survival, and growth of naturally established seedlings. Our results are best explained by the conflicting demands of rodents for caching seeds in more secure sites and P. armeniaca’s high-light requirements for seedling recruitment. We argue that the relationship between favored cache sites for seed hoarders and safe sites for plants will often not match but may still allow a reasonable rate of establishment and regeneration.     

Establishment and growth of seedlings of Eucalyptus obliqua: Interactive effects of litter,water, and pathogens

We studied how leaf litter, water and fungal pathogens affect the establishment, survivorship, and growth of Eucalyptus obliqua using glasshouse and field experiments. In a glasshouse experiment, the presence of leaf litter of E. obliqua increased the establishment of seedlings when the seeds were placed beneath the litter, but dense litter layers reduced seedling emergence when seeds were placed on top. Results from a complementary experiment suggest that the effect of litter may be mediated by the high humidity microenvironment it creates, which may enhance imbibition of unburied seeds. In another glasshouse experiment, litter in combination with excessive water applications reduced seedling emergence and increased seedling mortality, but the addition of fungicide reverted these effects. Litter with lower water application or fungicide added increased seedling emergence. In all cases higher biomass in seedlings growing in litter treatments was associated with earlier emergence. In two recently burnt sites, the density of seedlings of E. obliqua was positively correlated to the presence of litter. Experimental addition of litter in the field reduced soil temperature during the summer, and together with watering, increased soil water content, and the water potential of established seedlings. However, neither treatment had any positive effect on their growth or survivorship. On the contrary, litter addition reduced the height and number of leaves, probably as a result of increased herbivory. We conclude that in Mediterranean-type systems litter may produce various effects on seedling establishment depending on their developmental stage, and the season.     

The effects of size of opening in vegetation and litter cover on seedling establishment of goldenrods (Solidago spp.)

We investigated the effects of size of opening in the vegetation and litter cover on seedling establishment of two species of goldenrods (Solidago spp.) in an abandoned field in southwestern Michigan, U.S.A. Seeds of S. canadensis and S. juncea were sown into clipped plots, ranging from 0 cm (control, unclipped) to 100 cm in diameter, with and without litter. Seedling emergence, survival and growth were followed for one year. Soil moisture was not significantly different among the opening sizes, but, within a size, tended to be lower when litter was removed. Light intensity at the soil surface was positively related to opening size early in the growing season, but later in the growing season reached a maximum in intermediate-sized openings and then leveled off. Litter strongly inhibited seedling emergence in both species. Emergence of S. canadensis seedlings was lower in 0 and 10 cm openings than in the larger openings, while emergence of S. juncea seedlings was lower in the largest openings (100 cm) than in all the smaller openings. In contrast, seedling growth and probability of survival increased with diameter of opening for both species. Some seedlings of S. juncea did survive in complete vegetation cover (controls, 0 cm openings) while seedlings of S. canadensis survived only in openings of at least 30 cm diameter. Thus, S. juncea had a smaller minimum opening size for seedling establishment than S. canadensis, although both species grew and survived best in the largest openings made in the experiment.     

格氏栲幼苗叶绿素荧光和非结构性碳水化合物积累对种子散布位置的响应

植物种子从母树掉落形成土壤种子库时,凋落物或土壤是其最初接触的物理环境,种子所处位置(种子在凋落物上层、土壤表层或凋落物下层)影响了幼苗天然更新进程。模拟格氏栲种子在凋落物上层(种子下层铺垫2和4 cm凋落物)、土壤表层(无凋落物)及凋落物下层(种子上层覆盖2、4、6和8 cm凋落物)等3种不同散布位置,探讨种子散布位置对幼苗叶绿素荧光特性、非结构性碳水化合物、比叶面积、叶干物质含量和养分含量的影响。结果表明:不同散布位置的幼苗单位面积的叶氮含量与可溶性糖、非结构性碳水化合物含量呈显著正相关,与比叶面积呈显著负相关。适宜凋落物覆盖(2和4 cm)的幼苗通过提高叶绿素相对含量、可溶性糖含量、非结构性碳水化合物含量、叶干物质含量和单位面积的叶氮含量和叶磷含量,降低比叶面积等的资源获取策略来实现自身快速生长需求。无凋落物和深层凋落物覆盖(6和8 cm)的幼苗采取高单位重量的叶氮含量和比叶面积,低叶干物质含量和非结构性碳水化合物含量的资源保守型策略以截获更多有效光资源,进而弥补深层凋落物带来的郁闭环境,降低幼苗因“碳饥饿”而死亡的几率。下层铺垫凋落物的幼苗通过在叶片储藏淀粉,降低叶片光合组织消耗能量(低PSⅡ最大光化学效率)等维持幼苗生长。熵值法综合分析表明,浅层凋落物覆盖(2 cm)对格氏栲幼苗生长的促进作用最为显著,未来可通过调节天然林凋落物层厚度以促进格氏栲幼苗生长与更新。     

Factors affecting establishment of a gypsophyte: the case of Lepidium subulatum (Brassicaceae)

The restriction of vascular plants to gypsum-rich soils under arid or semiarid climates has been reported by many authors in different parts of the world. However, factors controlling the presence of gypsophytes on these soils are far from understood. We investigated the establishment of Lepidium subulatum, a gypsophyte, in a nondisturbed semiarid gypsum-soil landscape in central Spain, both from spatial and temporal perspectives. Over 1400 seedlings were tagged, and their growth and survival were monitored for a 2-yr period. Several biotic and abiotic variables were measured to determine the factors controlling the emergence and early survival. These variables included the cover of annual plants, bryophytes, lichens, litter, gypsum crystals, bare fraction and cover of each perennial plant, and several soil properties (gravel, fine gravel, and fine-earth fraction, conductivity, pH, gypsum content, organic matter and penetrometer soil resistance). Our results support the linkage of gypsophily with some physical properties of the surface crust. Seedlings tended to establish on the gypsum surface crust, and their survival was size dependent, probably as a consequence of the necessity of rooting below the surface crust before summer drought arrives. However, once seedlings emerged, a higher survival rate occurred on the alluvial soils of the piedmont-slope boundary where soil crusts are absent or thinner. We conclude that Lepidium subulatum may be considered a refuge model endemic with a distribution range that occupies a reduced fraction of a wider habitat from which it is probably excluded by competition.     

亚热带中山常绿阔叶林木本植物幼苗数量动态及其与生境的相关性

以百山祖自然保护区5 hm2永久样地150个幼苗监测站木本植物幼苗为研究对象,2008—2011年定期调查样方中幼苗的种类、数量、萌发、死亡等,探究亚热带中山常绿阔叶林幼苗种类组成、数量动态及其与生境的相关性。结果表明:1)百山祖样地在2008年至2011年出现的幼苗属于26科,40属,共53个物种,不同物种萌发时段有异;2)2009年样地幼苗存活比率为7.7%,2010年为-20.8%,2011年则是-0.3%,幼苗存活比率不高,种类和数量呈减少趋势;3)存活幼苗中有明显的优势物种,分别为光亮山矾(Symplocos lucida)、尖连蕊茶(Camellia cuspidata)、浙闽新木姜子(Neolitsea aurata var.undulatula)、尖叶菝葜(Smilax arisanensis)和短尾柯(Lithocarpus brevicaudatus),5个物种之和占幼苗总数比例50%;4)种子的萌发与生境有极显著的相关性,且与生境因子中水分关联最大;5)存活幼苗数与样站坡位、水分、落叶层厚度呈现显著相关性,水和光照是影响幼苗存活的主要因素。     

覆网保护和埋藏对坚果树种种子直播的影响

作者以都江堰林区6种代表性坚果树种为对象,研究了覆网保护和埋藏等措施对直播种子存活和幼苗建成的影响,同时调查了鼠类在春秋两季的数量变化。结果表明:秋季鼠类对种子的捕食压力大,使得种子在无保护的情况下很少存活到出苗;而秋季覆网保护(第二年春季解除覆网)和完全保护(覆网一直保留到第二年10月调查时为止)均增加了直播种子的存活和出苗率;将种子埋藏在土壤1–4cm也显著增加直播种子的存活率和出苗率,这与鼠类密度(12%)在秋季显著高于春季(2%)有直接关系。此外,坚果树种的种子存活和出苗与其种子特征有一定联系。因此,作者认为如果根据鼠类数量的季节波动规律而采取适当育林措施(如保护和埋藏等)能够增加森林种子直播的效率。     

Multivariate path analysis of the relationships between seedling regeneration and environmental factors beneath a dwarf bamboo understory

Seedling emergence and establishment are fragile processes that determine the direction and structure of forest succession and regeneration. However, seedling emergence and establishment are easily affected by biotic and abiotic (environmental) factors. A dense and expanding understory of dwarf bamboo is one such important factor that can seriously hinder the seedling regeneration. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the emergence and establishment of canopy tree seedlings under artificially controlled densities of dwarf bamboo. We found that understory dwarf bamboo obstructed seedling emergence but reduced the death of seedlings. Although understory dwarf bamboo reduced the median retention time of seedlings, dense bamboo increased the mean survival time of seedlings. Our results suggest that understory dwarf bamboo has multiple selectivities for tree seedling emergence and establishment: high‐density dwarf bamboo was beneficial to evergreen species but lower‐density of bamboo was conducive to the survival of deciduous species, it means the dwarf bamboo potentially alters successional trajectories of forest communities. Path analysis revealed that the most important factors affecting tree seedling emergence and death were the abundance of seeds in the seed bank and the density of emerged seedlings, and that the soil temperature promoted seedling emergence but increased seedling death, the thickness of litter limited seedling emergence, and the leaf area index of the bamboo canopy limited seedling death. The present study suggests that dwarf bamboo can directly alter the microenvironment, significantly reducing light levels and soil temperature but increasing the thickness of litter and soil humus, thereby indirectly impacting the regeneration of tree seedlings. Our results indicate that various factors affected seedling emergence, and there were complex indirect relationships among these factors. In general, biological factors had a stronger influence on tree seedling regeneration than environmental factors.     

Foraging animals create fertile patches in an Australian desert shrubland

Fertile patches are created and maintained by a combination of physical and biologically-mediated processes including soil disturbance by animals. We examined the creation of fertile patches by 4 vertebrates, the greater bilby Macrotis lagotis , burrowing bettong Bettongia lesueur , European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus , and Gould's sand goanna Varanus gouldii within dunes, ecotones, and swales in a dunefield in arid South Australia. These animals all create pits when foraging for subterranean food resources. We hypothesized that 1) the effect of pits on litter capture would vary among landscapes and animal species, 2) larger pits would trap more litter and seed, 3) pits would contain more viable seed than the surrounding matrix, and 4) the effect of pits on soil chemistry would vary among animal species, and be greater in landscapes with more finely textured soils. We found that litter was restricted almost exclusively to the pits, and was greater in pits with larger openings. Litter capture was greater in ecotones and dunes than in swales. A total of 1307 seedlings from 46 genera germinated from litter samples taken from the pits, but no seedlings emerged from samples taken from soil surrounding the pits. Foraging pits contained significantly higher levels of total C and N than surrounding soil, and total C and N concentrations were greatest in swales and lowest in dunes. Pits contained ca 55% more mineralisable N that surface soils, and pits constructed by bilbies and bettongs contained half the concentration of mineralisable N as those of rabbits and goannas. Concentrations of mineral N and mineralisable N were also greatest in the swales. Our results demonstrate the importance of animal-created pits as nutrient sinks and sites for seedling establishment, and suggest that changes in the composition of arid zone vertebrates may have resulted in profound changes to nutrient and soil dynamics in arid Australia.