Soil seed bank dynamics of fire-prone wooded grassland, woodland and dry forest ecosystems in Ethiopia

In order to reveal the role of soil seed banks in vegetation recovery after fire in savanna, the spatial distribution and temporal changes in the soil seed banks of regularly burning savanna in Gambella, western Ethiopia, was studied. The seedling emergence technique was employed to determine the species composition and density of the soil seed bank of six sites ranging in fire severity from wooded grassland with frequent fires over woodland with intermediate fire frequency to forest with absence of fires. Species composition and density of seeds in the soil were compared between seasons, depths and sites with different types of standing vegetation. Fourteen plant species were recorded in the soil seed bank from the grassland and woodland sites and 6 from the dry forests; 60 % of the taxa in the soil seed bank were annuals and 40 % were perennials. The soil seed banks were largely dominated by graminoids and 48–97 % of the soil seed bank in the grasslands and woodlands was of a single grass species, Hyparrhenia confinis , which was absent from the dry forests. The soil seed pools ranged from less than 100 to 4700 seeds per m² depending upon the season. The soil seed bank of graminoids was nearly empty after the onset of the rainy season whereas seeds of broadleaved herbs and woody species able to germinate were still found after this time. Floristic composition, representation of life forms and density of seeds in soil did not correspond closely with that of the standing vegetation, but within graminoids there was a strong similarity between the soil seed bank and the standing vegetation. The current fire regime of Ethiopian savanna woodlands appears to maintain the dominance of graminoids over broadleaved herbs and woody plants both as seeds in the soil and in the standing vegetation.     

Fire severity drives variation in post-fire recruitment and residual seed bank size of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia</Emphasis> species

Very high-severity fires are a component of many fire-prone ecosystems, yet are often viewed as detrimental to vegetation. However, species in such systems are likely to have adapted to persist under a fire regime that includes high-severity fires. We examined how fire severity affects post-fire recruitment and residual seed banks of Acacia species and whether severity may affect plant responses to fire intervals. Nine sites of either high or low burn severity were identified after a large-scale mixed-severity fire in Warrumbungle National Park, south-eastern Australia. Transects were used to sample above-ground woody plant density. Seed bank size was surveyed by soil extraction from two depths and manual searching for seeds. Residual soil seed bank and recruitment were compared across the two burn severities. Acacia seedling density was higher in areas burnt at high severity, indicating that increased severity triggers increased germination from the seed bank. Size of residual seed bank was smaller after high-severity fire, but varied between species, with few Acacia cheelii seeds remaining despite high above-ground abundance. In contrast, A. penninervis retained a small residual seed bank. There was little evidence of negative effects on populations of Acacia species after high-severity burns. However, we found that high fire severity may impact on the ability of a species to persist in response to a subsequent short fire interval. Fire management for maintaining biodiversity needs to consider other key aspects of the fire regime, including severity and season, rather than focusing solely on fire frequency.     

Fire,aridity and seed banks. What does seed bank composition reveal about community processes in fire‐prone desert?

Questions: The relationship between fire, aridity and seed banks is poorly understood in plant community ecology. We tested whether there was a close correspondence between the seed bank and standing vegetation composition with time‐since‐fire in a desert. We also examined whether longer‐lived species showed seed limitation relative to more ephemeral species, as this could influence grass‐woody ratios in a major biome. Location: Dune hummock grasslands/shrublands of central Australia. Methods: The effects of time‐since‐fire on floristic and functional group composition were examined by comparing plots unburned since 1984 against plots that had been burned in 2002. Three methods were used to quantify seed abundances: a germination trial using heat and smoke application, a flotation method, and a sieving method. Results: Seed bank densities were very low (<3000 m^?2). Species similarity between the seed bank and standing vegetation was high at sites recently burned (0.86) and low in sites long‐since burned (0.52). The relative abundance of ephemeral species in the seed bank peaked in recently burned plots, but the relative abundance of seeds of woody species did not match the pattern of abundance in the standing vegetation. Remarkably, the dominant perennial grasses and woody species were either absent from the seed bank or present at extremely low abundances. Discussion: Differences in the relative abundance of ephemeral species between standing vegetation and seed bank relate to the post‐fire succession process. The small soil pool of seed from woody species may be explained by allocation to belowground carbohydrate storage over seed production. Field observations suggest, however, that production of strongly dormant seed can be prolific and that high levels of seed predation make this system strongly seed‐limited. The discovery of this seed bank syndrome indicates that shifts in grass‐woody ratios can be driven by the juxtaposition of unpredictable seed rain and fire events in these desert dunes. However, estimates of grass‐woody ratios due to changing fire regimes will be difficult to predict.     

Fire and regeneration: the role of seed banks in the dynamics of northern heathlands

Questions: How do species composition and abundance of soil seed bank and standing vegetation vary over the course of a post‐fire succession in northern heathlands? What is the role of seed banks – do they act as a refuge for early successional species or can they simply be seen as a spillover from the extant local vegetation? Location: Coastal Calluna heathlands, Western Norway. Methods: We analysed vegetation and seed bank along a 24‐year post‐fire chronosequence. Patterns in community composition, similarity and abundances were tested using multivariate analyses, Sørensen's index of similarity, vegetation cover (%) and seedling counts. Results: The total diversity of vegetation and seed bank were 60 and 54 vascular plant taxa, respectively, with 39 shared species, resulting in 68% similarity overall. Over 24 years, the heathland community progressed from open newly burned ground via species rich graminoid‐ and herb‐dominated vegetation to mature Calluna heath. Post‐fire succession was not reflected in the seed bank. The 10 most abundant species constituted 98% of the germinated seeds. The most abundant were Calluna vulgaris (49%; 12 018 seeds m^?2) and Erica tetralix (34%; 8 414 seeds m^?2). Calluna showed significantly higher germination the first 2 years following fire. Conclusions: Vegetation species richness, ranging from 23 to 46 species yr^?1, showed a unimodal pattern over the post‐fire succession. In contrast, the seed bank species richness, ranging from 21 to 31 species yr^?1, showed no trend. This suggests that the seed bank act as a refuge; providing a constant source of recruits for species that colonise newly burned areas. The traditional management regime has not depleted or destroyed the seed banks and continued management is needed to ensure sustainability of northern heathlands.     

Seed banks of a rare wetland plant community: distribution patterns and effects of human-induced disturbance

Seed banks in rare shoreline communities (Nova Scotia, Canada), were examined in order to determine their role in the persistence of rare plant species. A pristine shoreline which supports globally and nationally significant Atlantic coastal plain species averaged 8500 seeds/m². Seedsweremost abundant high on the shore and where standing crop was greatest. Rare species, which made up 22% of the standing crop and litter of the adult vegetation, comprised only 4% of the seed bank. Common rushes such as Juncus canadensis and J. filiformis, were not well represented in the adult vegetation (5% of the standing crop and litter) but were abundant in the seed bank (52% of all seeds). Seed densities were on average, much lower on an intensely disturbed shoreline (1000 seeds/m²), where heavy all-terrain vehicle traffic had destroyed the adult vegetation. These results suggest that intense disturbances will destroy both existing vegetation and the seed bank and moderate disturbances will alter community composition so that common rushes will replace already endangered Atlantic coastal plain species.     

Post‐fire seed predation: Does distance to unburnt vegetation matter?

Human‐induced changes to fire regimes result in smaller, more patchy fires in many peri‐urban areas, with a concomitant increase in potential edge effects. In sclerophyll vegetation, many structurally dominant serotinous plants rely on the immediate post‐fire environment for recruitment. However, there is little information about how fire attributes affect seed predation or recruitment for these species. We examined the influence of distance to unburnt vegetation on post‐dispersal seed predation for five serotinous species from sclerophyll vegetation in the Sydney region, south‐eastern Australia; Banksia serrata L.f., Banksia spinulosa Sm. var. spinulosa, Hakea gibbosa (Sm.) Cav., Hakea teretifolia (Salisb.) Britten (all Proteaceae) and Allocasuarina distyla (Vent.) L. Johnson (Casuarinaceae). We used cafeteria trials and differential exclusion of vertebrates and invertebrates to test whether rates of seed removal for these five species differed among (i) unburnt, (ii) burnt‐edge (approx. 10 m from unburnt vegetation) and (iii) burnt‐interior (approx. 100 m from unburnt vegetation) locations. When all animals had access to seeds, seeds were removed at lower rates from burnt‐interior areas than from other locations. Vertebrates (small mammals) showed this pattern markedly the first time the experiment was run, but in a repeat trial this effect disappeared. Rate of seed removal by invertebrates differed among plant species but we did not detect any such differences for removal by vertebrates. Overall rates of seed removal also differed significantly between the two fires studied. Our results indicate that small mammal seed predation can be substantial for large‐seeded serotinous shrubs, and that differences in the perimeter: area ratio, severity or size of a fire are likely to affect seed predation.     

Diversity,composition and guild structure relationships between soil-stored seed banks and mature vegetation in alien plant-invaded South African fynbos shrublands

We investigated vegetation-seed bank relationships at three fynbos sites on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, and the impacts to these sites of invasion by the alien tree Acacia saligna. Soil-stored seed banks in uninvaded fynbos were of a similar density to those previously measured in fynbos (ca. 1100–1500 seeds m^-2) and were dominated by mostly short-lived species. Lack of similarity between mature vegetation and seed banks, suggests that seed banks are poor predictors of mature vegetation composition and structure in fynbos. This lack of correspondence was attributed to the ephemerals (present only in the soil seed bank) and the dominance of serotinous (aerial seed bank) and sprouting (soil seed bank low to absent) species, in mature vegetation. Long-lived seeders were among the 10 most abundant species in the seed banks at all sites and at two sites shrub species contributed more to seed bank richness than any other growth form. Soil-stored seed banks, therefore, boost species richness and diversity both in early post-fire and later seral stages.There was a decline in fynbos species richness, diversity and abundance both in the standing vegetation and seed banks with increasing duration of invasion by the alien tree, Acacia saligna. However, the rate of decline was higher for the vegetation than the seed banks, suggesting that many fynbos species have long-term persistent seed banks. At two sites, there was no obvious shift in community composition associated with Acacia invasion: invaded sites were depauperate versions of the uninvaded site. However, at a third site, the vegetation composition shifted towards a community dominated by bird-dispersed thicket species and its seed bank shifted towards a community dominated by wind-dispersed perennials. Community composition of the soil seed banks under dense, recent Acacia was very similar to that of the corresponding uninvaded fynbos at all sites, indicating that there is good potential to return to species-rich fynbos vegetation after removal of the alien Acacia. Most seed bank species persisted in the soil seed bank of the long-invaded fynbos at low frequency and density, indicating high seed longevity in many species. We suggest that either a thick Acacia litter layer or a deep (>5 cm) burial moderated the fire and ambient temperature effects, preventing these seeds from germinating after fire and thus preventing loss from the seed bank.     

Seed predation limits post-fire recruitment in the waratah (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Telopea speciosissima</Emphasis>)

Seed predation may reduce recruitment in populations that are limited by the availability of seeds rather than microsites. Fires increase the availability of both seeds and microsites, but in plants that lack a soil- or canopy-stored seed bank, post-fire recruitment is often delayed compared to the majority of species. Pyrogenic flowering species, such as Telopea speciosissima, release their non-dormant seeds more than 1 year after fire, by which time seed predation and the availability of microsites may differ from that experienced by plants recruiting soon after fire. I assessed the role of post-dispersal seed predation in limiting seedling establishment after fire in T. speciosissima, in southeastern Australia. Using a seed-planting experiment, I manipulated vertebrate access to seeds and the combined cover of litter and vegetation within experimental microsites in the 2 years of natural seed fall after a fire. Losses to vertebrate and invertebrate seed predators were rapid and substantial, with 50% of seeds consumed after 2 months in exposed locations and after 5 months when vertebrates were excluded. After 7 months, only 6% of seeds or seedlings survived, even where vertebrates were excluded. Removing litter and vegetation increased the likelihood of seed predation by vertebrates, but had little influence on losses due to invertebrates. Microsites with high-density vegetation and litter cover were more likely to have seed survival or germination than microsites with low-density cover. Recruitment in pyrogenic flowering species may depend upon the release of seeds into locations where dense cover may allow them to escape from vertebrate predators. Even here, conditions suitable for germination must occur soon after seed release for seeds to escape from invertebrate predators. Seed production will also affect recruitment after any one fire, while the ability of some juvenile and most adult plants to resprout after fire buffers populations against rapid declines when there is little successful recruitment.     

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.     

REGENERATION OF THE SHRUB GAYLUSSACIA BACCATA AND ASSOCIATED SPECIES AFTER LOW-INTENSITY FIRE IN AN ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN FOREST

The upland shrub community of the New Jersey Pine Barrens maintains strong compositional and structural stability despite frequent low-intensity fires. To determine the mechanisms by which individual species respond to fire, regrowth of vegetation was monitored for 3 years after fire at a burned site, and at a nearby site that had not been burned. At both sites, experimental treatments simulated various physical aspects of fire, including clipping of stems, removal of leaf litter, and application of fertilizer. Both fire and clipping were followed by multiple resprouting and enhanced growth of the dominant shrub, Gaylussacia baccata, suggesting that sprout growth is controlled by correlative inhibition of adventitious buds. By contrast, neither fertilizer nor litter removal had a significant impact on G. baccata. Other species were only observed at very low numbers, and appeared to act independently of either fire or experimental treatments. Recruitment from seed was not observed in any treatment at either site, despite reports of a large soil seed bank. Thus, compositional stability is maintained through a large reserve of dormant buds on the dominant species, and through a lack of opportunities for associate species. This stability is precarious, however, depending strongly on fire frequency and intensity.     

The coupling of recruitment and disturbance by fire in two resprouting Proteaceae species

Recruitment in plant populations is often tightly coupled to major disturbances such as fires. For species with persistent seed banks, fire-related cues may allow or enhance germination. The litter layer influences germination and may modify the impact of seed predators on seeds and seedlings. The litter layer is obviously affected by fire, providing one mechanism by which disturbance can determine recruitment. We tested the role of litter in the disturbance–recruitment coupling of two species with contrasting seed release timing after fire—Banksia serrata (canopy seed bank) and Telopea speciosissima (transient seed bank) by planting their seeds both early and late in the post-fire recruitment period (PRP) and manipulating litter density in orthogonal treatments. Vertebrate seed predators were excluded. Both species established more seedlings late in the PRP, although results were strongly influenced by very poor establishment at one site. Invertebrate seed predators consumed more T. speciosissima seeds in sites early (69.5%) than late in the PRP (51.2%), while consumption of B. serrata seeds was lower overall and comparable across sites (average 47.3%). Surprisingly, litter had very little effect on establishment and none on invertebrate seed predation, suggesting that other factors are more important. Recruitment was only loosely coupled to disturbance for the canopy seed bank species; for the transient seed bank species, the coupling was tighter but separated in time from the disturbance. Understanding both the strength and temporal aspects of the disturbance–recruitment coupling is necessary for appropriate management of plant functional diversity in fire-prone habitats.     

Hidden effects of forest management practices: responses of a soil stored seed bank to logging and repeated prescribed fire

Forest management practices have the potential to impact upon native vegetation. Most studies focus on the effects of management on the above‐ground vegetation communities, with little attention given to the soil stored seed bank. Here we examine the soil stored seed bank of a long‐term experimental site in south‐eastern Australia, which has experienced timber harvesting and repeated prescribed burning over a 20‐year period. At each of 213 long‐term vegetation measurement plots, 3.5 kg of soil was collected and germinated in a glasshouse over a period of 2 years. Comparisons were made between the experimental treatments considering differences in species richness, abundance and community composition of the understorey seed bank. Logged sites had a higher diversity and abundance of seedlings compared with unlogged sites, which is consistent with observed changes in standing vegetation within 10 years following logging. Prescribed burning resulted in a lower diversity and abundance of seedlings, which contrasts with the increase in species diversity observed in response to frequent fire in standing vegetation. Individual taxa that declined in the seed bank in response to frequent fire were all taxa for which germination is enhanced by exposure to smoke. Contrary to expectations, these did not exhibit a corresponding decline as standing plants. While management actions above ground are having minor impacts, greater effects were seen in the soil stored seed bank.     

The Effects of Fire Severity on Macroinvertebrate Detritivores and Leaf Litter Decomposition

High severity wildfire events are a feature of forests globally and are likely to be more prevalent with climate change. As a disturbance process, fire has the potential to change important ecological functions, such as decomposition, through its impact on biodiversity. Despite the recognised importance of decomposition in terms of fuel loads and energy flow, little is known about the post-fire effects of fire severity on decomposition by litter-dwelling macroinvertebrate detritivores. We tested the hypotheses that: 1) increasing fire severity is associated with decreased rates of leaf litter decomposition by macroinvertebrate detritivores; and 2) the abundance and biomass of macroinvertebrate detritivores decreases with increasing fire severity, while body size increases. We used a litterbag experiment at long-unburnt, ground-burnt and crown-burnt sites (n = 7 for all treatments) to test the effect of fire severity on: a) macroinvertebrate-driven break-down of litter fuel loads; and b) the size and abundance of macroinvertebrate detritivores three years after fire. Microhabitat conditions differed among fire severity classes. Macroinvertebrate exclusion reduced litter decomposition by 34.7%. Macroinvertebrate detritivores were larger and less abundant following higher severity fires, possibly as a result of fire-induced changes in habitat structure. Opposing effects of fire severity on macroinvertebrate abundance and body size resulted in both similar detritivore biomass and, most interestingly, no differences in leaf litter decomposition under different fire severities. This suggests that the diversity of macroinvertebrates enhances functional resilience of litter decomposition to fire and that litter-breakdown is not inhibited within three years following a high severity fire in this forest type and where recolonisation sources are readily available. We found no support for the hypothesis that high severity fires reduce litter decomposition and therefore increase the likelihood of future fires.     

Persistent soil seed bank and standing vegetation at a high alpine site in the central Chilean Andes

The persistent soil seed bank (viable seeds >1 year) and standing vegetation were investigated in the upper alpine belt (3250 m) in the Andes of central Chile, 33° S. Nine species (eight in standing vegetation) were found in a total persistent seed bank of 899 seeds m⁻². Seven additional species were represented by physically intact, non-viable seeds. Over 90% of the persistent seed bank was concentrated in Montiopsis sericea (Portulacaceae), Pozoa coriacea (Umbelliferae), Phacelia secunda (Hydrophyllaceae) and Oxalis compacta (Oxalidaceae). Examination of the seed/cover ratio revealed different propensities for persistent seed bank formation among species, and annuals formed persistent seed banks more frequently than perennial species. Abundance in the standing vegetation had predictive value for abundance in the persistent seed bank only when non-persistent seed bank species in the standing vegetation were discarded from the analysis. At the local scale, species diversity in the persistent seed bank and standing vegetation were correlated, but compositional similarity was low. Secondary down-slope dispersal promoted by frost heaving in combination with runoff, and life-form correlates are discussed as possible factors accounting for poor correspondence between the persistent seed bank and the standing vegetation at a local scale. The high Andean seed bank is similar to or larger than that reported for two Arctic tundra sites, but smaller than for a northern hemisphere subalpine site. If seed bank size is considered in relation to plant cover, the Andean seed bank greatly exceeds that of one Arctic site. Our study constitutes the first demonstration of a sizable persistent seed bank at an alpine site in the South American Andes and in southern hemisphere temperate mountains in general. Received: 26 May 1998 / Accepted: 21 November 1998     

Influence of fire on critically endangered Swartland Shale Renosterveld in the Cape Floristic Region

Questions

The degree to which renosterveld shrublands are fire‐dependent is currently unclear. To address this issue, the following questions were asked: (1) does smoke stimulate germination of soil‐stored seeds in renosterveld; (2) does recently‐burned renosterveld display changed composition and higher diversity than unburned vegetation; and (3) how do the species compositions of renosterveld soil seed banks and standing vegetation compare?

Location

Swartland, Cape Floristic Region, South Africa.

Methods

Soil seed bank samples from a north‐ and south‐facing slope were smoke‐treated and germinated to test for smoke‐stimulated germination. Burned standing vegetation was surveyed 16 months post‐fire, as was unburned vegetation on the same slopes. Seed bank species richness and density were compared between smoke‐treated and untreated samples within and between slopes. Burned and unburned standing vegetation were compared within and between slopes in terms of species richness, abundance and aerial cover. Compositional similarity of the seed banks and standing vegetation was assessed.

Results

Seed banks were dominated by annuals and graminoids. Smoke treatment had no effect, except for driving significantly higher species richness and seedling density in south‐facing slope perennial shrubs. Species richness and seedling density were significantly higher in seed banks on the south‐facing slope compared to the north‐facing slope. Burned standing vegetation exhibited significantly higher diversity than unburned vegetation. Annuals and graminoids displayed significantly higher species richness and aerial cover in burned renosterveld. The north‐facing slope contained less than half the number of species/m² compared to the south‐facing slope. The seed banks and standing vegetation showed low to intermediate similarity (Sørensen = 31%–53%), but grouped close together on an NMDS plot, suggesting intermediate similarity overall.

Conclusions

Elevated germination of perennial shrubs in smoke‐treated seed bank samples and increased diversity of post‐fire standing vegetation suggest the renosterveld in this study shows elements of a fire‐driven system. Certain species only recruited in burned sites, suggesting fire‐stimulated germination. Aspect had a major influence on plant community composition, with the mesic south‐facing slope being more diverse than the xeric north‐facing slope. The similarity between the seed banks and standing vegetation was higher than previously shown for renosterveld, and appears to be higher than for fynbos.     

Soil seed bank in different vegetation types in the Loess Plateau region and its role in vegetation restoration

In the Loess Plateau region, soil erosion is a serious problem. Vegetation restoration is an effective approach to control soil erosion and improve ecosystems. The soil seed bank generally plays an important role in vegetation restoration after disturbance. Thus, we reviewed soil seed bank studies to reveal the soil seed bank characteristics and its role in vegetation restoration in three vegetation types (forest, forest‐steppe, and steppe). We selected 38 seed bank studies and analyzed several seed bank characteristics, such as seed density, species composition, and the relationship between seed size and seed bank. We also assessed the role of the soil seed bank in vegetation restoration. The soil seed bank density ranged from 2,331 ± 1,993 to 6,985 ± 4,047 seeds/m² among the different vegetation types. In the soil seed bank, perennial herbs and grasses accounted for 51.5% of the total species. Native species that were dominant or common in the standing vegetation usually had relatively high seed bank densities. Moreover, species with smaller seeds generally had higher soil seed bank densities. The present study indicates that the soil seed bank plays a significant role in spontaneous vegetation restoration, especially during the early successional stages in abandoned slope farmlands and grazing‐excluded grasslands. However, species with large seeds or transient soil seed banks should be reintroduced through seeding to accelerate target species restoration. More studies on soil seed banks need to be conducted to comprehensively reveal their characteristics.     

Seasonal variation in seed bank composition and its interaction with nutrient enrichment in the Everglades wetlands

In the Florida Everglades, nutrient enrichment from agricultural outflow and the change in hydrology have collectively contributed to the expansion of cattails (Typha spp.). To assess the effectiveness of prescribed fire in controlling cattails and to predict vegetation dynamics after the fire, it is important to understand the seasonal variation of the soil seed bank and how the seed bank is affected by nutrient enrichment and fire. This paper investigates the effects of season, nutrient enrichment, and fire on soil seed bank species composition, richness, and density along a nutrient gradient in Water Conservation Area 2A (WCA 2A) of the Florida Everglades. Species richness was significantly affected by nutrient enrichment and season but not their interaction. Total seed density, however, was significantly affected by the interaction between nutrient enrichment and season. Yet, at species level, the relationship between seed density, nutrient enrichment and season varied. The highest seed density of cattail occurred in summer at highly enriched sites, but that of sawgrass occurred in fall regardless of enrichment; the seed density of water lily was very low regardless of season and nutrient enrichment, and the highest Amarathus seed density occurred at highly enriched sites year round. Moreover, germination timing differed greatly among species. While cattail seeds had a short incubation period and started to germinate 2–3 days after initiation of the germination assay, sawgrass seeds generally started to germinate 4 weeks later. Further, both the prescribed summer fire at the highly enriched site and the natural winter fire at the moderately enriched site reduced the seed density of cattail but not of sawgrass. Our results suggest that fire application for vegetation recovery in WCA 2A would benefit from explicitly considering seasonal dynamics of the seed bank.     

The role of soil seed banks in the restoration of dry acidic dune grassland after burning of Ulex europaeus scrub

Question: Can the seed bank play a significant role in the restoration of plant communities of dry acidic dune grassland where fire has destroyed Ulex europaeus scrub? Location: Northern French Atlantic coast. Methods: One year after the fire, the seed bank and vegetation were sampled in 1 m × 1 m plots along three transects from the oldest scrub vegetation towards the grassland. Differences in species richness, seed density and contribution of ecological groups in the seed bank and vegetation along the transects were analysed. Results: Seed density and species richness in the seed bank decreased significantly from the grassland towards the centre of the scrub vegetation; 50% of the seed bank consisted of core species of the target plant community, such as Carex arenaria, Aira praecox, Rumex acetosella and Agrostis capillaris. Seeds of these species were also found in the deeper soil layers beneath the oldest scrub vegetation, indicating that they can be considered to be long‐term persistent. Beneath the youngest scrub vegetation, seeds of rare satellite target species also occurred. However, no target species were established on the burned site after one year, resulting in a large discrepancy between seed bank and vegetation. Conclusions: Although the seeds present in the soil indicate that restoration of the acidic grassland based on the seed bank is possible, additional management actions such as mowing and soil disturbance may be necessary to restrict resprouting of Ulex and to stimulate the germination of seeds of target species in the deeper soil layers.     

Soil seed bank in a patchy vegetation of coastal sandy plains in southeastern Brazil

Large seed banks have been found in tropical dry forests and also in habitats with high seasonality in rainfall. However, patchily structured vegetation could induce great spatial variation in the seed bank. We characterized the seed bank in a patchy vegetation of restinga, a common type of coastal vegetation found in the Atlantic forest biome. We also evaluated whether there is any spatial variation between the litter and soil layer, bare sand, and the edge and center of vegetation patches with distinct species dominance. We found 104 seeds/m² in the seed bank using a 5‐cm‐depth sampling. Seven out of 16 species found in the restinga seed bank germinated; two of these were found in the early stages of vegetation patches. We found a higher number of seeds at the edge than in the center of vegetation patches. However, there were no significant differences in the number of seeds in the seed bank between the litter and soil layer, and between vegetation patches with distinct species dominance. Bare sandy soils had lower seed bank densities than vegetation patches. A small seed bank size might be explained by the low proportion of seeds from herbaceous and woody species, which are pioneers in the Atlantic forest. However, seed bank might play an important role in the early stages of the successional process, due to the occurrence of the few species that are able to colonize new young vegetation patches.     

Abrupt fire regime change may cause landscape‐wide loss of mature obligate seeder forests

Obligate seeder trees requiring high‐severity fires to regenerate may be vulnerable to population collapse if fire frequency increases abruptly. We tested this proposition using a long‐lived obligate seeding forest tree, alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis), in the Australian Alps. Since 2002, 85% of the Alps bioregion has been burnt by several very large fires, tracking the regional trend of more frequent extreme fire weather. High‐severity fires removed 25% of aboveground tree biomass, and switched fuel arrays from low loads of herbaceous and litter fuels to high loads of flammable shrubs and juvenile trees, priming regenerating stands for subsequent fires. Single high‐severity fires caused adult mortality and triggered mass regeneration, but a second fire in quick succession killed 97% of the regenerating alpine ash. Our results indicate that without interventions to reduce fire severity, interactions between flammability of regenerating stands and increased extreme fire weather will eliminate much of the remaining mature alpine ash forest.