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Seed mass and shape are related to persistence in a sandy soil in northern China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2010

Ling-Ping Zhao ,
Gao-Lin Wu  and
Ji-Min Cheng
Ling-Ping Zhao
Affiliation:
College of Animal Science and Technology of Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi712100, China
Gao-Lin Wu
Affiliation:
College of Animal Science and Technology of Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi712100, China State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau of Institute of Soil and Water Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Soil Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi712100, China
Ji-Min Cheng*
Affiliation:
College of Animal Science and Technology of Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi712100, China State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau of Institute of Soil and Water Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Soil Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi712100, China
*
*Correspondence Fax: +86 29 87012210 Email: gyzcjm@ms.iswc.ac.cn
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Abstract

Whether and how seed mass and shape are related to seed persistence in soil is a controversial topic in plant ecology. There is little information on this relationship in sandy habitats. We tested whether or not this pattern is retained among 141 species within a range of growth forms, from a wide range of families, in the Horqin sandy land of northern China, which belongs to the inland sand ecosystem. We collected information on seed mass, shape and persistence of these species in this region from published articles. Seed mass and shape were found to be significantly and negatively correlated to persistence in the soil in the Chinese flora, in the same way as in most other floras examined, but not in the same way as the Israeli coastal sand dune flora. The value of seed mass and shape as good predictors of persistence in the soil could be applied to the Horqin sandy land. Although many factors affect the relationship between seed mass, shape and persistence, ease of burial appears to be the main potential interpretation in the Horqin sandy land.

Keywords

persistencesandy soilseed massseed shapesoil seed-bank
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 47 - 53
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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