Abstract
Studies on the soil seed banks of fallow lands of different ages were carried out on poor soil abandoned fields and in a fresh coniferous forest in north-eastern Poland. The size and diversity of seed banks was studied with the seedling emergence method. Species abundance (<em><strong>i</strong></em>), density (<em><strong>ii</strong></em>), number of species from different biological groups (<em><strong>iii</strong></em>) and distribution and mean <em>LI</em> value (<em><strong>iv</strong></em>) were analysed as the function of fallow land age. It was found that: (<em><strong>i</strong></em>) species diversity, number of species and ln of density are linear declining function of the fallow land age; (<em><strong>ii</strong></em>) for approx. 25 years the share of diaspores of identified species groups has been relatively similar. Seed banks of 40-50-year-old fallow lands are dominated by <em>Calluna vulgaris</em>, while the seed bank of the old fresh coniferous forest is dominated by dicotyledonous perennials and grasses; (<em><strong>iii</strong></em>) within the first 50 years of succession the persistence of seed banks measured by the Longevity Index increases gradually.
Highlights
In the second half of the 20th century new technologies introduced in Europe, and withdrawal from conventional techniques of plant and animal production caused a marked decrease in agriculturally used area
During last two decades many studies were published on the correlation between seed banks and secondary succession in various study sites, e.g. on abandoned fields [8], pastures [9], wet meadows and marshlands [10,11,12], dry and wet grassland [13], heather moorland [14], forest plantations [15], and forest [16,17]
Numerous gaps in the ground layer enabled the diaspores of pioneering trees and shrub species to penetrate the soil seed bank, and they had the highest share at this succession stage
Summary
In the second half of the 20th century new technologies introduced in Europe, and withdrawal from conventional techniques of plant and animal production caused a marked decrease in agriculturally used area. Secondary succession was initiated on gradually abandoned fields and pastures, unmown meadows and forests after modified use (theory and prediction – [1], abandoned cattle grazing – [2,3,4,5,6], post-fire succession on abandoned fields [7]). During last two decades many studies were published on the correlation between seed banks and secondary succession in various study sites, e.g. on abandoned fields [8], pastures [9], wet meadows and marshlands [10,11,12], dry and wet grassland [13], heather moorland [14], forest plantations [15], and forest [16,17]. According to Bossuyt and Hermy [18] the species composition of the seed bank in the entire succession series is relatively constant. Species coming mainly from earlier succession phases are present in a seed bank all the time, and they form persistent seed banks
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