Resumen de Could recently locally extinct population patches of Astragalus nitidiflorus regenerate from the soil seed bank?
Francisco José Segura Carreras, Juan Jose Martinez Sanchez, Mayra Aguado López, Jose Antonio Franco Leemhuis, María José Vicente Colomer
Persistence, distribution and dynamics of Astragalus nitidiflorus soil seed bank, a critically endangered species of southern Spain, were studied during four consecutive years to determine their importance to regenerate locally extinct patches of the only known A. nitidiflorus population worldwide. The spatial distribution of seeds on the ground was highly influenced by the presence or absence of adult plants and by the indehiscent character of the fruit. Results showed that most seeds were present in the surface layer, inside fruit and close to the mother plant. Seed longevity was low in general, but higher for seeds protected by fruit than for single ones after two years of burial. We discuss our results in relation with other patterns of seed dispersal or viability in arid environments, that are generally characterized by high spatial and temporal variability with a short–range dispersal. We concluded that this species is able to form a short–term persistent soil seed bank ...
