abstract: Throughout the Southwest, complex geology and physiography concomitant with climatic variability contribute to diverse stream hydrogeomorphologies. Many riparian plant species store their seeds in soil seed banks, and germinate in response to moisture pulses, but the climatic controls of this response are poorly understood. To better understand the ecological implications of a changing climate on riparian plant communities, I investigated seed bank responses to seasonal temperature patterns and to stream hydrogeomorphic type. I asked the following questions: Are there distinct suites of warm and cool temperature germinating species associated with Southwestern streams; how do they differ between riparian and terrestrial zones, and between ephemeral and perennial streams? How does alpha diversity of the soil seed bank differ between streams with ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial flow, and between montane and basin streams? Do streams with greater elevational change have higher riparian zone seed bank beta-diversity? Does nestedness or turnover contribute more to within stream beta-diversity? I collected soil samples from the riparian and terrestrial zones of 21 sites, placing them in growth chambers at one of two temperature regimes, and monitoring emergence of seedlings for 12 weeks. Results showed an approximately equal number of warm and cool specialists in both riparian and terrestrials zones; generalists also were abundant, particularly in the riparian zone. The number of temperature specialists and generalists in the riparian zones did not differ significantly between perennial headwater and ephemeral stream types. In montane streams, alpha diversity of the soil seed bank was highest for ephemeral reaches; in basin streams the intermittent and perennial reaches had higher diversity. Spatial turnover was primarily responsible for within stream beta-diversity—reaches had different species assemblages. The large portion of temperature specialists found in riparian seed banks indicates that even with available moisture riparian zone plant community composition will likely be impacted by changing temperatures. However, the presence of so many temperature generalists in the riparian zones suggests that some component of the seed bank is adapted to variable conditions and might offer resilience in a changing climate. Study results confirm the importance of conserving multiple hydrogeomorphic reach types because they support unique species assemblages. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Plant Biology 2016

Orientador: Marcelo Nogueira Rossi / Coorientador: Renata Cristina Batista Fonseca / Coorientador: Vera Lex Engel / Banca: Maria Tereza Grombone Guaratini / Banca: Wesley Augusto Conde Godoy / Banca: Rita de Cássia S. Maimoni Rodella / Banca: João Nakagawa / Resumo: Para um melhor entendimento dos processos que determinam a dinâmica das florestas tropicais, estudos que investigam tanto a vegetação (parte aérea) como o banco de sementes do solo, são necessários. Através de estudos de banco de semente pode-se avaliar, por exemplo, a capacidade de regeneração natural de uma dada vegetação, a viabilidade das sementes existentes no solo e sua influência na estrutura da vegetação. No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre os processos que podem provocar variações na estrutura do banco de sementes, especialmente em florestas semideciduais. O presente estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a composição do banco de sementes do solo em um trecho de Floresta Estacional Semidecídual, bem como investigar possíveis processos capazes de gerar variações em sua estrutura. Além disso, determinou-se o grau de similaridade entre a parte aérea e o banco de sementes. Primeiramente, a densidade (número de plântulas), a riqueza, a diversidade e a composição de espécies foram comparadas entre áreas em diferentes estágios sucessionais, bem como entre diferentes profundidades do solo e estações do ano (chuvosa e seca). Em seguida, a similaridade entre o banco de sementes e a vegetação local foi comparada. Constatou-se que a principal fonte de variação do número de plântulas, da riqueza e da diversidade de espécies presentes no banco de sementes foi a profundidade na qual as sementes foram amostradas. De forma geral, as amostras obtidas da serrapilheira continham, significativamente, um maior número de plântulas, uma maior riqueza e maior diversidade de espécies do que as amostras provenientes das profundidades de 0-10cm e 10-20cm, tanto na estação chuvosa como seca. Comparações da riqueza e da diversidade de espécies entre a estação seca e chuvosa... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: For a better understanding of the processes that determine tropical forest dynamics, studies that investigate vegetation both above and below ground are needed. By studying seed banks it is possible to determine, for example, the natural regeneration capacity of vegetation, the viability of the soil seed bank as well as its influence at structuring plant communities. However, little is known about the processes that can generate variation in the seed bank structure, particularly in semideciduous forests. The main aim of this study was to know the soil seed bank composition in a semideciduous seasonal forest fragment, and also to investigate some processes that may generate variations in this structure. Besides, it was determined below (seed bank) and above ground (vegetation) similarity. Firstly, the density (seedling numbers), the richness, and the diversity and species composition were compared among areas of different sucessional stages, and among different soil depths and season (rainy and dry season). After that, the similarity between the soil seed bank and local vegetation was compared. It was observed that the main source of variation of seedling numbers, richness, and species diversity was the depth at which seed samples were obtained. In overall, samples from the litterfall had significantly higher seedling numbers, species richness and diversity than the other depths (0-10cm and 10-20cm); this difference occurred at both in the rainy and dry season. Comparisons of species richness and diversity between the rainy and dry season showed that both significantly differed between seasons, and higher values were observed in the rainy season. Seedling numbers did not differ between seasons. Species composition was more similar between pairs of samples from depths near to each other; for example, for both seasons... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2016-06-15T14:25:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Danielle Melo dos Santos.pdf: 428920 bytes, checksum: 322bb464473f572f27942b042957d2dc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-15T14:25:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Danielle Melo dos Santos.pdf: 428920 bytes, checksum: 322bb464473f572f27942b042957d2dc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-15 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Space-time heterogeneity that occurs in dry forests changes seedling emergence rates and habitat’s species richness by influencing soil seed bank density. Therefore, considering the importance of understanding how these space-time variations influence seed bank dynamics in an area of caatinga, this study aims to answer the following questions: 1. Do soil bank species richness and seed density differ according to the microhabitat type and annual precipitation totals? 2. Is there an interaction between annual precipitation totals and microhabitat types in determining soil bank species richness and seed density? The study was performed in a fragment of caatinga in Caruaru-PE. Three microhabitat types are easily found in the study area. The riparian corresponds to the terrain zone with a smooth inclination on the margins of Olaria stream, not considering the part of the stream bed where water runs during high precipitation periods; the flat microhabitat corresponds to the somewhat flat terrains, with no significant elevations and up to 150 m distant from the stream bed margins; the rocky microhabitat corresponds to the places with small rock outcrops, within an area varying from 2 to 5 m², which occur as distinct patches dispersed in the flat microhabitat. In the interior of the study area there are 105 1 x 1 m randomly placed parcels for the study of herbaceous vegetation, 35 in each microhabitat. Soil was collected around the 1x 1m parcels (35 samples for each microhabitat) in a 5 cm depth considering litter. These collections were performed in the end of rainy and dry seasons during three consecutive years (2006, 2007 and 2008), summing 630 samples. Differences in log-transformed data of species richness and seedling emergence in the soil bank between years and microhabitats were evaluated with a two-way ANOVA, with a 5% probability and using Turkey as a posteriori test. During the three years of the study, a total of 79 species emerged from the soil bank, 63 species in the riparian microhabitat, 43 in the flat one and 42 in the rocky microhabitat. There was a significant difference for both average species richness and average seedling emergence between microhabitats and between monitoring years, with a significant interaction between them. The influence of microhabitat and annual precipitation on the soil bank species richness and seed density was not the same, or at least did not act with the same intensity, since while precipitation explained 48% of soil bank species richness, microhabitat only explained 7%. Regarding seed density, the opposite was recorded, since while microhabitat explained 31% of seedling emergence, precipitation only accounted for 5%. The results of this study showed that, in order to better understand seed bank dynamics of semi-arid environments, it is also necessary to consider variations inducted by microhabitat conditions, which help for a better adjusting of predictions about seed availability in the soil bank for population renewal and conservation of these environments. / A heterogeneidade espaço-temporal que ocorre nas florestas tropicais secas, altera a taxa de emergência de plântulas e a riqueza de espécies dos habitats por influenciar a densidade do banco de sementes do solo. Deste modo, considerando a importância de se entender como estas variações espaço-temporal vão influenciar a dinâmica do banco de sementes de uma área de caatinga, este estudo objetiva responder as seguintes perguntas: 1. A riqueza de espécies e a densidade de sementes no banco do solo diferem em relação ao tipo de microhabitat e os totais de precipitação de cada ano? 2. Existe interação entre os totais de precipitação anuais e os tipos de microhabitats na determinação da riqueza de espécies e densidade de sementes do banco do solo? O estudo foi realizado em um fragmento de caatinga, em Caruaru, PE. Na área de estudo, três tipos de microhabitats são facilmente visualizados, o ciliar corresponde à faixa de terreno com inclinação suave às margens do riacho Olaria, sem considerar a parte do leito onde corre água do riacho na época de maior precipitação; o microhabitat plano corresponde aos terrenos razoavelmente planos, sem maiores elevações e que distam até 150 m das margens do leito do Riacho; o rochoso corresponde aos locais com pequenos afloramentos rochosos, com área variando de 2 a 5 m2 e altura 0,1 a 1 m, que ocorrem como manchas distintas dispersas no microhabitat plano. No interior da área estudada existem aleatoriamente alocadas 105 parcelas de 1x1 m para o estudo da vegetação herbácea, sendo 35 em cada microhabitat. O solo foi coletado no entorno das parcelas de 1x1 m (35 amostras em cada microhabitat), a 5 cm de profundidade e considerando a serrapilheira. Estas coletas foram realizadas nos finais das estações chuvosas e secas, durante três anos consecutivos (2006, 2007 e 2008), totalizando 630 amostras. Diferenças nos dados logaritmizados de riqueza de espécies e de emergência de plântulas do banco do solo entre anos e microhabitats foram avaliadas através de uma Anova-two way, a 5% de probabilidade com teste a posteriori de Tukey. Durante os três anos de estudos, um total de 79 espécies emergiu do banco do solo, sendo 63 espécies no microhabitat ciliar, 43 no plano e 42 no rochoso. Houve diferença significativa tanto na riqueza média de espécies bem como na emergência média de plântulas entre microhabitats e entre anos de monitoramento, com interação significativa entre os mesmos. A influência do microhabitat e da precipitação anual sobre a riqueza de espécies e a densidade de sementes do banco do solo não foi à mesma, ou pelo menos não atuou na mesma intensidade, pois enquanto a precipitação explicou 48% da riqueza de espécies do banco do solo, microhabitat explicou apenas 7%. Já em relação à densidade de sementes, o inverso foi registrado, pois enquanto microhabitat explicou 31% da emergência de plântulas, precipitação explicou apenas 5%. Por fim, os resultados deste estudo mostram que para compreender bem a dinâmica do banco de sementes de ambientes semi-áridos torna-se necessário também considerar as variações induzidas pelas condições de microhabitats, as quais possibilitam ajustar melhor as predições sobre a disponibilidade de sementes no banco solo para renovação das populações e conservação destes ambientes.

Abstract The aims were to examine the importance of regeneration by seeds, the influence of plant traits and disturbances, and the role of seed-seedling conflicts in regeneration and in the determination of vegetation structure. The study was carried out at in a subarctic alpine area (Kilpisjärvi 69°01'N 20°50E', Finland). Seed bank and seedling densities were high in many plant communities (ranges 99 -1109 viable seeds/m2 and 0.2-227 seedlings/m2, respectively). Effective seedling recruitment is reflected in vegetation as a high proportion of plants with poor or no vegetative reproduction ability. This development may take place in meadows and snowbeds where herbs (e.g. Gnaphalium supinum, Sibbaldia procumbens, Veronica alpina and Viola biflora) are abundant. On the other hand, the low proportion of these plants in heath vegetation reflects ineffective seedling recruitment. Floristic similarities between the consecutive phases in the regeneration pathway may be low despite effective seedling recruitment. Clonality, large and small seed sizes and appendaged diaspores limit the movement of species from phase to phase. Generally, disturbances facilitate effective regeneration by seeds. Grazing promotes species with large seed banks and is therefore one reason for high seed bank densities. Freezing and melting processes negate a negative influence of altitude on seed bank densities in the phase of seedlings. However, if disturbances are severe and continuous and the soil is compact, unstable or dry, disturbances are not beneficial. The same is true if there is a shift in the species composition of seedlings from gaps to closed vegetation. This phenomenon occurred in a rich meadow. Seed-seedling conflicts limit regeneration by seeds in low-herb snowbeds and Ranunculus glacialis-Gymnomitrion snowbeds. Vegetative reproduction and infrequent pulses of seedling recruitment negate an influence of short-term seedling recruitment on the spatial structure of vegetation. Extreme conditions, such as low temperatures, instability of the soil and late snowmelt modify the influence of factors that are important in more moderate conditions. To conclude, all transitions limit regeneration by seeds. However, favourable conditions (e.g. moist conditions in a meadow) partly eliminate the obstacles against seedling emergence. Regeneration by seeds therefore has a major impact on the dynamics and structure of vegetation. In heath vegetation, where bare soils are dry and the moss cover is thick, large seed banks and seed rains do not guarantee effective seedling recruitment. The regeneration process is reduced in the early phases, and plants that reproduce primarily by seeds have a minor role in vegetation. The accumulation of seed banks is effective in these circumstances.

The main objective of this research was to determine the seed bank longevity of Melinis repens at two Southern Florida sites. Seeds were divided among different exposure levels (shade versus sun) and depths (surface versus buried) and tested for baseline viability using 2,3,5-Triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride. Statistical analysis determined that at the pine rockland site there was a significant interaction between time, exposure, and depth. The initial mean viability at this site declined from 49.71% to 11.26% and 13.06% for sun/buried seeds and sun/surface seeds, respectively, by month 8. The mean viability of shade/surface seeds and shade/buried seeds declined to 24.56% and 22.06% after 8 months. There were no significant effects in the Florida scrub. In order for land managers to completely remove this species from a site, treatment with herbicide will need to continue for a minimum of one year to effectively kill all viable seeds in the seed bank.

Soil seed banks are important to the maintenance and restoration of floras. Extant seed banks exhibit unique characteristics with regard to the distribution of seed size and seed density. Seeds were recovered from the Upper Pennsylvanian Wise Formation in southwest Virginia. Structurally preserved seeds were also examined from coal balls of the Pennsylvanian Pottsville and Allegheny Groups, Ohio. The size distribution of the seeds from the Wise Formation is similar to that of structurally preserved seeds of the Upper Pennsylvanian Pottsville and Allegheny Group coal balls. In contrast, the seed size distributions in extant wetland, grassland, woodland and forest habitats are significantly narrower than that of seeds from the Pennsylvanian seed banks. Larger seeds are less dependent on light for germination, and aid in seedling establishment more than smaller seeds, especially in dense stable forests where disturbance events are rare. Large seed size may contribute to increased seed longevity, which reduces the effect of environmental variability on seed germination and development. The significantly larger size of the Palaeozoic seeds may have imparted an advantage for seedling establishment in the dense Palaeozoic forests. The preponderance of large seeds may be a result of the absence of large seed predators (e.g. herbivorous tetrapods), and may have been an evolutionary strategy to minimize damage to the embryo from a predator population dominated by small invertebrates with chewing or sucking mouthparts. The estimated seed density of 192 seeds/m2 in the Palaeozoic seed bank falls within the range of modern seed banks, but at the lower end of modern seed bank densities in a variety of habitats.

With herbicide efficacy declining as weeds continue to evolve and resist key modes of action, long-term, multi-faceted control practices need to be investigated. Two studies, involving cover crops and tillage, were implemented to understand how management practices influence the weed seed bank. The objectives of both studies were to examine long-term changes in the weed seed bank in response to tillage methods, fertility, and cover crops, and to analyze differences in distribution and community composition between individual species in the weed seed bank. To assess the weed community present in both seed banks, soil samples were collected, and a soil grow out was conducted in the greenhouse. To examine the field-emerged seed banks, percent coverage was collected for each weed species, crop residue, bare ground, and cover crop if present. The first study was established in 1970, evaluating four tillage systems: moldboard plow (CT), chisel plow (RT), alternative (AT), and no-tillage (NT). From 1970 to 1990, this study was continuous corn (Zea mays L.), but in 1991, soybeans (Glycine max L.) were added into the rotation, marking the beginning of the current corn-soybean rotation. Fertilizer treatments (no-fertilizer, nitrogen only, and NPK) were also evaluated. Each tillage and fertility treatment were replicated four times in the field in 6 m by 8 m plots. Weed seeds were found to be distributed within the soil profile differently by tillage treatment. No-till treatments maintained most of the seed bank near the surface of the soil. Based on the response of individual species to fertility treatments, community shifts in seed bank composition were found. LAMAM, STEME, and SIBVI had the greatest richness in NPK treatments compared to no fertilizer and nitrogen only. CERVU tended to favor treatments without any fertilizer. Tillage and fertility were also found to interact and influence species presence and community composition. The second study was established in 2013, to examine changes and differences in distribution and composition between individual species in the weed community in response to cover crop rotations and tillage. A split-plot design with three crop rotation systems was implemented: 1) corn (Zea mays L.) – cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) – soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) – hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) [CcrShv], 2) corn-cereal rye-soybean-oats + radish (Avena sativa L. + Raphanus sativus L.) [CcrSor], and 3) corn-no cover crop-soybean-no cover crop [NOCC], and two tillage treatments: conventional tillage and no-till. This field study also supported previous findings of higher weed diversity in no-till systems. ANOVA performed in R suggested species richness was significantly higher in no-tillage treatments in comparison to tillage treatments. For the field-emerged weed community, a pairwise comparisons test suggested cover crop treatments have significantly lower weed richness compared to plots with no cover crop present, but there was no interactive effect of tillage. 3-Way ANOVAs suggested time, tillage, and crop rotation influenced each weed species differently. Due to individual weed species having different requirements for germination and seed longevity, these data suggest the importance of developing and implementing a quality, integrated weed management program to maintain low levels of weed emergence and seed credits to the seed bank.

No description available.

Within the last two decades substantial progress has been made in understanding seed bank dynamics and the contribution of the soil seed bank to a post-disturbance plant community. There has been relatively little progress, however, in understanding perennial bud bank dynamics and the contribution of the soil bud bank to secondary succession. This lack of information is due primarily to the inability to reliably identify roots, rhizomes, and lignotubers that lie dormant beneath the soil surface. This scientific investigation, therefore, addressed the issue of identification of belowground woody structures. The first objective was to develop a methodology that utilizes molecular tools to reliably identify woody plant species from subsoil tissue samples. The second objective was to create a key in which molecular markers serve as criteria for identification and differentiation of selected tree and shrub species common to the mountains of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington. Application of restricted fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis on polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified rbcL gene products proved to be a reliable method to identify and differentiate 15 plants to the genus level. Two restriction enzymes, DPN II and Hha I, cut (or do not cut) the PCR-rbcL product into one to six fragments. Fragment number and length are used to develop an identification key. Plants not analyzed in this key may share the same banding patterns , resulting in a false-positive identification of unknowns. Future research needs and management implications are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biology / David C. Hartnett / Grazing and drought are instrumental in the development and maintenance of perennial grasslands. In this research I tested the belowground bud bank contribution to tallgrass prairie resistance and resilience when perturbed by grazing and drought. First, I tested the bud bank role in vegetation response to and recovery from severe drought (Chapter 2). I compared above- and belowground responses of experimentally droughted plots to ambient controls and irrigated plots during two years of severe drought and two years of recovery. I found that although aboveground net primary productivity declined 30-60% during drought, bud bank density and demography were insensitive to drought. These results suggest that grassland resistance and resilience when perturbed by drought may be mediated by stability of belowground bud banks. Second, I investigated vegetation and soil nutrient legacies following release from long-term grazing (Chapter 3). I documented a relatively rapid shift in aboveground vegetation within four years of grazer exclusion, with productivity, stem density, and diversity becoming relatively more similar to ungrazed than grazed prairie. The density and composition of the belowground bud bank and soil seed bank shifted more slowly, remaining more similar to grazed than ungrazed prairie. Responses of soil nutrients to removal of grazers varied, and in some cases was affected by recent fire history. These results demonstrate the contribution of belowground propagules to the maintenance of a diverse plant community both during grazing and after grazers are removed. Finally, I examined short-term vegetation responses to both drought and grazing (Chapter 4). Despite extreme drought and simulated grazing that reduced productivity and increased mortality of individual stems, the dominant C4 grasses maintained a stable bud bank. Aboveground net primary productivity and bud bank density of sedges and forbs, however, were reduced by both drought and grazing. This differential response of species to extreme drought and grazing led to shifts in community composition and species diversity over one growing season. Across drought and grazing treatments, live rhizome biomass was highly correlated with bud bank density and may be a useful, more easily measured index of bud bank density.