title: The role of seed bank in the dynamics of understorey in an oak forest in Hungary.
abstract: We studied the potential role of seed bank in the dynamics of the understorey in a turkey oak-sessile oak forest (Querceteum petraeae-cerris) in Hungary. We used long-term records of the herb layer (1973-2006) and the seed bank composition of 2006 to assess the role of seed bank in the regeneration of herb layer. The total cover of herb layer decreased from 22% (1973) to 6% (1988), and remained low (<10%) till 2006; coinciding with the increasing cover of secondary canopy dominated by Acer campestre. We found a low density seed bank (ca. 1300 seeds/m2). Altogether 33 species were germinated from the soil samples. A few generalist weed species composed the majority of seed bank. It was possible to assign a seed bank type for 19 species; 14 species out of 19 was long-term persistent. We found that the characteristic perennial forest herbs and grasses had only sparse seed bank. The Jaccard similarity between vegetation and seed bank was low (<30%). Our results suggest that the continuous establishment of forest herbs are not based on local persistent seed bank; it should be based on vegetative spreading and/or seed rain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Hungary. konczgabo@gmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koncz
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Török
authors.forename: Zs
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kotroczó
authors.forename: Zs
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krakomperger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matus
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tóthmérész
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D006814:Hungary; D057685:Plant Weeds; D011157:Population Dynamics; D029963:Quercus; D012639:Seeds