J. Russellsmith et De. Lucas, REGENERATION OF MONSOON RAIN-FOREST IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA - THE DORMANT SEED BANK, Journal of vegetation science, 5(2), 1994, pp. 161-168
As part of a wider study examining regeneration pathways in monsoon ra
in forest vegetation in northern Australia, the dormant component of t
he soil seed bank was assessed by storing soil samples for over six dr
y season months, before watering in shade-house trials. Six soil sampl
es were collected from each of 34 sites broadly representative of the
range of regional monsoon rain forest vegetation. Four floristic seed
bank groups were derived through TWINSPAN classification. Mean group d
ensities of germinants ranged from 25-144/M2. Dormant seed banks were
least dense, and most sparsely distributed, in sandy soils. Seed bank
samples were dominated by woody pioneer monsoon rain forest species, e
specially figs; exotic weeds and savanna taxa (e.g. Poaceae) were rela
tively more common at seasonally dry sites. Dormant seed banks compris
ed species mostly present in the standing vegetation, although a small
number of germinants represented species not growing at half the site
s. Regeneration of woody pioneers from dormant seed banks is least lik
ely to be of importance on infertile, seasonally dry sites.