Grazing influences Stipa breviflora seed germination in desert grasslands of the Inner Mongolia Plateau.

ABSTRACT: Seed germination plays an important role in determining the composition and regeneration of plant populations (Stipa breviflora). However, the influencing factors and strategies employed for seed germination in desert grasslands under grazing remain unknown. Therefore, in this study, the reproductive allocation, seed density, seed properties, and corresponding seed germination rates of S. breviflora were examined. Possible situations encountered during dispersal were also simulated to determine their effects on seed germination. The results showed that reproductive individual density not subjected to grazing were significantly higher than those subjected to moderate and heavy grazing. For seed density and seed bank in soil, the highest values were observed for the no grazing treatment, fol

SUBMITTER: Liu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5835349 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature