M. Huopalainen et al., Effects of long-term aerial pollution on soil seed banks in drained pine mires in southern Finland, WATER A S P, 125(1-4), 2001, pp. 69-79
The effects of pollution on the composition of soil seed banks in four drai
ned pine mires located along a pollution gradient in southern Finland were
studied using the emergence method. The species composition of the seed ban
k was compared with the above ground vegetation. Dominant species in the se
ed banks were Calluna vulgaris, Betula spp. and Ledum palustre. Seeds seeme
d to be viable despite a heavy pollution load. Especially in the vicinity o
f the pollution source, seed bank and above ground vegetation were weakly c
orrelated.