Institution: | aEarth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK bDepartment 10—General und Theoretical Ecology, UFT Centre of Environmental Research and Technology, University of Bremen, Leobener Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany |
Abstract: | Seed bank formation plays an important role in plant population dynamics. However, buried seeds face several mortality factors, including the decay caused by microbial activity. Recent seed burial studies involving both fungicide-treated seeds and untreated seeds provide evidence for the importance of saprophytic soil fungi as a seed mortality factor. In this review, we summarize the available evidence. We discuss the influence of abiotic and biotic environmental factors, the specificity of plant-fungal associations at the seed level and mechanisms of resistance to seed decay. Finally, we discuss implications for plant communities and for the biocontrol of agricultural weeds. |