Effects of the allelopathic plant Artemisia herba-alba Asso on the soil seed bank of a semi-arid plant community

Aims Seed bank strongly influences composition and structure of above-ground vegetation.Little attention has been paid to the role of allel-opathy driving soil seed bank dynamics,even though allelochemicals released by allelopathic plants might determine whether a species can or cannot germinate from the soil seed bank and,therefore,to co-exist in the neighborhood of the allelopathic species.Hence,the effects of allelopathic plants on community organization through the effects of allelochemicals on soil seed bank remain largely unknown.In this study,we assessed spatial heterogeneities in soil seed bank caused by the presence of allelopathic plants,and evaluated allelo-pathic effects on seed bank germination and seedling mortality.Methods We examined the effects of the allelopathic shrub Artemisia herba-alba Asso on the spatial structure(in terms of species richness and seed density)of the soil seed bank of a semi-arid ecosystem in NE Spain.Specifically,we evaluated seed bank richness and density at three microsites:under the canopy of A.herba-alba individuals,under the canopy of Salsola vermiculata L.(a non-allelopathic shrub)individuals,and in bare soil.In addition,we assessed the effects of aqueous extract of A.herba-alba on soil seed bank germination(seed-ling emergence and emergence timing)and seedling mortality.Important Findings We found that seed bank richness and density were higher under shrub canopy than they were in bare soil.A.herba-alba and S.vermiculata microsites had similar seed bank richness.However,seed bank density was higher under A.herba-alba because of the high abundance of A.herba-alba seeds.Aqueous extract reduced seedling emergence from the seed bank by 50%,and affected mortality of some emerged seedlings.On the other hand,aqueous extract did not influence the emergence timing of seedlings.We conclude that,although the presence of allelo-pathic plants does not cause relevant changes in seed bank struc-ture relative to similar non-allelopathic shrubs,their presence can actually result in a reduction of seedling emergence from the seed bank,which leads to low plant species richness and density nearby.To our knowledge,this is the first study to examine the effect of an allelopathic plant on the structure and germination in an entire soil seed bank.

Is the soil seed bank a reliable source for passive restoration of bush-cleared semi-arid rangelands of South Africa?

Background:Bush clearing of encroached rangelands is crucial for restoration of herbaceous cover and diversity.Regeneration after bush clearing depends largely on the soil seed bank(SSB)size and composition.To assess the potential of the SSB to facilitate post-clearing herbaceous restoration,we examined the SSB density,composition and diversity and similarity between SSB and aboveground vegetation(AGV).Methods:The study was conducted in semi-arid rangelands of Maseding and Kgomokgomo in North-West Province of South Africa.In each rangeland,all woody plants in three 1250 m^(2) plots were cut using saws and loppers,with the stumps treated with picloram.Paired observations were conducted in cleared and uncleared microsites.Soil samples were collected at three depths(0-10,10-20 and 20-30 cm)in each microsite in April(pretreatment),August,October and December 2016 and in April and August 2017.SSB was assessed using seedling emergence method,whereas pre-and post-clearing surveys of AGV were conducted in February 2016 and 2017,respectively.Results:Cleared microsites had significantly(p<0.01)higher seed bank densities(1872 and 693 seeds m^(-2) at Maseding and Kgomokgomo,respectively)relative to uncleared microsites in August 2017,with grasses accounting for higher densities than other plant functional groups in the upper 0-10 cm.Pioneer grasses(Aristida congesta subsp.barbicollis,Brachiaria eruciformis and Tragus berteronianus)and invasive forbs(Bidens pilosa and Schkuhria pinnata)dominated the SSB in cleared microsites at Maseding,whereas succulents(Portulaca spp.)and pioneer grasses(T.berteronianus and Urochloa mosambicensis)were abundant at Kgomokgomo in August 2017.SSB and AGV were dissimilar until December 2016;thereafter,similarity increased significantly(p<0.05)in cleared microsites(Sørensen’s coefficient=0.60 to 0.66 at Maseding and 0.43 to 0.52 at Kgomokgomo)compared to uncleared microsites.Species diversity was highest in August 2016 and April 2017 at Maseding,but it did not differ between two microsites(p>0.05).At Kgomokgomo,SSB was more diverse in cleared than uncleared microsites in April and August 2017.Conclusion:High seed bank densities in the upper soil layer in cleared microsites would promote passive restoration,but regeneration is likely to be initiated by early successional species.However,close monitoring and eradication of invasive forbs and succulents is necessary following bush clearing.The tendency of SSB resembling AGV over time in cleared microsites signifies that seed production from AGV is important for passive restoration following bush clearing.