Soil seed bank and vegetation composition of two fen-meadow stands in The Netherlands
2001
Matus, G. | Verhagen, | Bekker, R. M.
Soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation of <i>Cirsio dissceti-Molinietum</i>, a threatened species-rich fen-meadow community, were studied in two, closely located Dutch stands. In the spring soil cores of 10 cm depth were drilled then subdivided into equal upper and lower segments. After concentration by washing over a fine sieve samples were spread thinly on sterilized soil and germinated in a climate chamber for 14 weeks. In the aboveground vegetation frequency of species was recorded on the same plots in summer. A total of 95% of species germinated in 5 weeks and the same portion of individuals emerged in 10 weeks. Prolonged germination of wetland species possibly due to a limited duirnal fluctuation of temperature was found. Seed densities of the stands did not differ significantly and the seed bank eas similary dominated by a few species. Correlation between dominance ranks of species in vegetation and in seed bank was weak. Seed bank of the smaller stand contained more non fen-meadow species than the other one and dominance ranks of species in different soil depths were also less similar. Most species had transient or short-term persistent seed banks but in Juncaceae and Ericaceae long-term persistent records were typical. The smaller stand had more persistent species but most of the species present at both stands were similary classified. Differences between the stands can be linked to their different distances from external seed sources. A more persistent-dominated seed bank and uneven layer stucture in the smaller stand could reflect the greater effect of environmental fluctuations.
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