Soil seed bank responses to edge effects in temperate European forests.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The amount of forest edges is increasing globally due to forest fragmentation and land-use changes. However, edge effects on the soil seed bank of temperate forests are still poorly understood. Here, we assessed edge effects at contrasting spatial scales across Europe and quantified the extent to which edges can preserve the seeds of forest specialist plants.

Location

Temperate European deciduous forests along a 2,300-km latitudinal gradient.

Time period

2018-2021.

Major taxa studied

Vascular plants.

Methods

Through a greenhouse germination experiment, we studied how edge effects alter the density, diversity, composition and functionality of forest soil seed banks in 90 plots along different latitudes, elevations and forest management types. We also

SUBMITTER: Gasperini C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9546374 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature