TY - JOUR

T1 - Hidden biodiversity in the Arctic

T2 - a study of soil seed banks at Disko Island, Qeqertarsuaq, West Greenland

AU - Philipp, Marianne

AU - Hansen, Kjersti

AU - Monrad, Dorte

AU - Adsersen, Henning Emil

AU - Bruun, Hans Henrik

AU - Nordal, Inger

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Seed dispersal is a key process in plant community dynamics, and soil seed banks represent seed dispersal in time rather than in space. Despite their potential importance, seed bank dynamics in the Arctic are poorly understood. We investigated soil seed banks and corresponding plant community composition in three contrasting vegetation types in West Greenland, viz. dwarf shrub heaths, herb slopes and fell-fields. Through germination testing, 31 species were documented in soil seed banks. All of these were herbaceous, while no dwarf-shrub species, which represents the dominating growth form in the above-ground vegetation, were emerging from the seed bank. Consequently, across vegetation types, the lowest similarity between seed bank and above-ground vegetation was found in dwarf shrub heath. Nine plant species were exclusively found in seed bank, all of which were non-clonal forbs. Seed bank size (total number of seeds) and species richness seemed to increase with the level of natural disturbance. Additionally, we examined the effect of different experimental light and temperature conditions on the quantity and diversity of germinating seeds. The difference in diversity in vegetation and seed bank at the species level will impact population dynamics, regeneration of vegetation after disturbances and its potential to respond to climate change.

AB - Seed dispersal is a key process in plant community dynamics, and soil seed banks represent seed dispersal in time rather than in space. Despite their potential importance, seed bank dynamics in the Arctic are poorly understood. We investigated soil seed banks and corresponding plant community composition in three contrasting vegetation types in West Greenland, viz. dwarf shrub heaths, herb slopes and fell-fields. Through germination testing, 31 species were documented in soil seed banks. All of these were herbaceous, while no dwarf-shrub species, which represents the dominating growth form in the above-ground vegetation, were emerging from the seed bank. Consequently, across vegetation types, the lowest similarity between seed bank and above-ground vegetation was found in dwarf shrub heath. Nine plant species were exclusively found in seed bank, all of which were non-clonal forbs. Seed bank size (total number of seeds) and species richness seemed to increase with the level of natural disturbance. Additionally, we examined the effect of different experimental light and temperature conditions on the quantity and diversity of germinating seeds. The difference in diversity in vegetation and seed bank at the species level will impact population dynamics, regeneration of vegetation after disturbances and its potential to respond to climate change.

KW - Arctic

KW - diversity

KW - dwarf shrub

KW - fell-field

KW - germination

KW - herb slope

KW - soil seed bank

KW - seed bank

KW - Arctic and alpine ecosystem

U2 - 10.1111/njb.01721

DO - 10.1111/njb.01721

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85050541370

VL - 36

JO - Nordic Journal of Botany

JF - Nordic Journal of Botany

SN - 0107-055X

IS - 7

M1 - e01721

ER -