Long-term active restoration of degraded grasslands enhances vegetation resilience by altering the soil seed bank

• DOI: 10.1007/s13593-022-00862-9
• Publication Date: 2023-01-03T17:03:32Z
• Authors: Na Guo; Chao Sang; Mei Huang; Rui Zhang; A. Allan Degen; Lina Ma; Yanfu Bai; Tao Zhang; Wenyin Wang; Jiahuan Niu; Shanshan Li; Ruijun Long; Zhanhuan Shang
• Keywords: Soil seed bank

Abstract Long-term active restoration is often employed to restore degraded grasslands. The establishment of a viable soil seed bank the key successful restoration, as it enhances resilience vegetation. However, little known how affects vegetation following long-term We determined abundance and species composition properties intact, degraded, (>10 years) actively restored grasslands on Tibetan plateau (3900–4200 m a.s.l.). plant-soil-seed quality index structural equation modelling (SEM) were used assess effect resilience. After by sowing seeds native plant species, densities transient persistent increased 5%, but richness (number species) decreased 25% when compared with This occurred largely result an increase in grass decrease forb seeds. Persistent grasses play important role productivity grasslands, while density serves indicator A combination community density. Here, we show for first time that altering bank. high sown Gramineae low forbs