The potential role of seed banks in the restoration of drained prairie wetlands

Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practices in the United States Prairie Pothole Region with an Emphasis on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve and Wetlands Reserve Programs

“…Causal factors were not examined as part of this study; however, one possible explanation for these differences may be related to abiotic factors (soils, hydrology, topography) that influence the frequency or extent of cropping in catchments supporting different wetland types. Both duration of drainage and cultivation have been demonstrated to reduce species richness and abundance of wetland seed banks that play a critical role in reestablishment of wetland vegetation (Erlandson, 1987;Wienhold and van der Valk, 1989). Catchments supporting temporary wetlands typically can be cropped more frequently and extensively because these wetlands are shallow, typically express surface water only several weeks annually, and can be rapidly drained in most years.…”