Characteristics and dynamics of the soil seed bank at the north edge of Taklimakan Desert

作     者：LI Ning1,2, FENG Gu1,3 & TIAN ChangYan1 1 Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Science , ürümqi 830011, China 2 Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China 3 Chinese Agricultural University, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100094, China 

出 版 物：《Science China Earth Sciences》 (中国科学:地球科学(英文版))

年 卷 期：2007年第S1期

页      面：122-127页

学科分类：07[理学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：Supported by the Demonstration and Investigation of the Utilization and Integrated Management of Water Resources in Tarim River Valley and the Ministry of Educa-tion of China (Grant No. 105012) 

主　　题：Taklimakan Desert soil seed bank characteristics dynamics 

摘      要：In order to understand the potential of revegetation of halophytic community at the north edge of Taklimakan Desert, the species structure, storage capacity, the vertical distribution pattern and seasonal dynamics of soil seed bank and their interrelationship with community structure of above-ground plants were investigated. The results show that (i) 9 species were identified from seed bank in different seasons indicating that plant composition in this area was simple. (ii) The seed density in soil was 222±10.79 grain/m2 on average, and showed a seasonal variation range from 132±8.16 grain/m2 in summer to 303±12.70 grain/m2 in autumn. (iii) The similarity coefficient between soil seed bank and above-ground vegetation was 0.778. (iv) Vertically, seed densities declined with soil depth. 82.4% of total seeds were found in the top 3 cm of soil profile. No active seeds were found in soil profile below 6 cm. It is concluded that the seed bank at the north edge of Taklimakan Desert contains active seeds of all plant species observed on above ground, and is able to supply potential contribution to reconstruction of vegetation.