Study of Soil Seed Banks in Ex-closures for Restoration of Degraded Lands in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Mohammed, Shemsedin Ahmed; Argaw, Mekuria

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-57651-1

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Study on the SSB is important, since it is one of the most important functional parts of any plant community and can be a significant component in the process of rehabilitating degraded lands (Mohammed & Denboba, 2020). Bakker (1989) identified SSBs as non‐mature seeds buried in soil that can replace existing vegetation if it becomes degraded.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil seed bank characteristics in relation to different shrub species in semiarid regions

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Little information is available about the effects of different species of shrubs on the composition of the soil seed bank (SSB) in the semiarid regions. We determined the role of three dominant shrub species on SSB characteristics and evaluated their potential for their possible use in rangeland restoration projects. Fifteen sites, each containing three shrub species (Amygdalus scoparia, Daphne mezereum and Ebenus stellata) and a herbaceous patch (control) in close proximity, were sampled and their SSB density, species richness and diversity at 0–10 cm depth were determined. The results showed that the density of the SSB was highest under A. scoparia and lowest in the control. The highest SSB density of grasses was found under A. scoparia, while the highest SSB density of forbs was found under E. stellata. Species diversity of the SSB was significantly greater under E. stellata than under the other shrubs and control. This study revealed that the extent to which shrubs affected SSB characteristics did not only depend on the presence of shrubs, but also on the species of shrubs. These different roles of different species of shrubs on SSB are advised to be considered in the restoration of degraded areas through the SSB in the semiarid areas. In the case of changing management type from intensive grazing to extensive grazing or non‐grazing, the role of different shrub species in the conservation herbaceous species through their SSB can be different.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil seed bank characteristics in relation to different shrub species in semiarid regions

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Despite widespread reports of the impacts of restoration on plant community structure and soil properties, studies on soil seed banks in degraded and restored grasslands are lacking and, when examined, are generally limited to a single sampling period (Engst et al 2017). It was reported that management regimes, above-ground vegetation, and soil properties affected the soil seed bank composition and diversity in a saline-alkaline grasslands (Mohammed and Denboba 2020). Deferred grazing from spring to autumn and rotational grazing increased the soil seed bank of perennial and annual grasses (Nie et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term active restoration of degraded grasslands enhances vegetation resilience by altering the soil seed bank

Guo

Sang

Huang

et al. 2023

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Long-term active restoration is often employed to restore degraded grasslands. The establishment of a viable soil seed bank is the key to successful restoration, as it enhances the resilience of vegetation. However, little is known of how the soil seed bank affects vegetation resilience following long-term active restoration of degraded grasslands. We determined seed abundance and species composition of the soil seed bank and soil properties and vegetation resilience of intact, degraded, and long-term (>10 years) actively restored grasslands on the Tibetan plateau (3900–4200 m a.s.l.). The plant-soil-seed bank quality index and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used to assess the effect of the soil seed bank on vegetation resilience. After long-term (>10 years) active restoration of degraded grasslands by sowing seeds of native plant species, the densities of transient and persistent seeds increased by 5%, but seed richness (number of species) decreased by 25% when compared with degraded grasslands. This occurred largely as a result of an increase in grass but decrease in forb seeds. Persistent seeds of grasses play an important role in the productivity of restored grasslands, while the density of persistent seeds serves as an indicator of the resilience of vegetation. A combination of the plant community and soil properties determined seed density. Here, we show for the first time that long-term active restoration enhances vegetation resilience of grasslands by altering the soil seed bank. A high seed density of sown Gramineae and a low seed density of forbs in the soil seed bank is a key to the successful active restoration of degraded grasslands.

show abstract

“…Apart from the above-ground vegetation, soil seed bank (SSB) is the main constituent of each ecosystem because it is a potentially major propagule source that can have a significant input to vegetation composition (Li et al, 2011;Rusvai & Cz obel, 2021) and strongly influences the plant communities resilience (Yang et al, 2021). SSB determines essential ecological processes by maintaining biodiversity (Lee & Marrs, 2021) and recovery of damaged plant communities (Mohammed & Denboba, 2020). Nevertheless, the spatial and temporal variation of SSBs, their densities and composition changes when accompanied by disturbances are not fully understood in ecosystems (Erfanzadah et al, 2022), particularly in some sensitive habitats such as alpine grasslands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of wild boar disturbances on the soil seed bank in alpine plant communities

2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Soil seed bank (SSB) determines essential ecological processes by maintaining species diversity and recovering damaged plant communities, and supports conservation of lost plant species. Nevertheless, the variation of SSBs, their densities, and composition changes when accompanied by wild boar disturbances are scarcely studied in sensitive habitats such as alpine grasslands. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of wild boar rooting on SSB characteristics. Five plant communities were selected and four disturbed patches in each community were recognized in alpine grassland, Albors Mountain Chain, Iran. SSB density, richness, diversity, evenness and similarity with aboveground vegetation were compared between disturbed and adjacent undisturbed patches. In total 80 soil cores in each community, 40 disturbed and 40 undisturbed were collected and transported to the greenhouse. The seedling emergence method was used to identify and quantify seeds from the germinable seed bank. The results showed that, totally, the SSB within disturbed patches was smaller than in undisturbed patches. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting decreased SSB density, richness and diversity in all plant communities. We found that rooting homogenized SSBs in disturbed patches as indicated by the Pielou evenness index. The results suggested a deep alteration of the structure of seed banks by wild boar rooting, which in turn, vegetation recovery did not rely on SSBs after disturbances. In order to reduce wild boar rooting damage, a large reduction in wild boar abundance is suggested.

show abstract

Study of Soil Seed Banks in Ex-closures for Restoration of Degraded Lands in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Cited by 13 publications

References 28 publications

Soil seed bank characteristics in relation to different shrub species in semiarid regions

Soil seed bank characteristics in relation to different shrub species in semiarid regions

Long-term active restoration of degraded grasslands enhances vegetation resilience by altering the soil seed bank

Effect of wild boar disturbances on the soil seed bank in alpine plant communities

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About