10.5061/DRYAD.V10K0
van Leeuwen, Casper H. A.
Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
University of Oslo
Sarneel, Judith M.
Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
Umeå University
van Paassen, José
Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
Rip, Winnie J.
Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
Bakker, Elisabeth S.
Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
Data from: Hydrology, shore morphology and species traits affect seed
dispersal, germination and community assembly in shoreline plant
communities
Dryad
dataset
2015
Hypericum perforatum
Urtica dioica
Ellenberg
pond
soil moisture preference
shore slope
Stachys palustris
Carex pseudocyperus
Hierochloe odorata
Lychnis flos-cuculi
Veronica beccabunga
Glyceria maxima
Carex vulpina
Eupatorium cannabinum
seed floatation
Caltha palustris
Lythrum salicaria
zonation
Butomus umbellatus
Lycopus europaeus
Rumex hydrolapathum
Mentha aquatica
wetland
Holcus lanatus
hydrochory
Calla palustris
Alisma plantago-aquatica
Filipendula ulmaria
2015-03-19T00:00:00Z
2015-03-19T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12250
627777 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1.Seed dispersal and germination are two primary processes influencing
plant community assembly. On freshwater shores, water levels regulate both
processes. However, it is still unclear how water levels, shore morphology
and species traits interactively affect seed dispersal and germination,
and how these interactions determine plant community assembly. We
hypothesize that a drawdown water regime enhances seed establishment
compared to a year-round stable water level, that this increases species
richness and diversity, and that this is modulated by species traits and
shore morphology. 2.Germination of 20 wetland plant species with different
dispersal capacities (floating capacity expressed as seed floatation
half-time) and soil moisture preferences for germination (Ellenberg F) was
tested on artificial shores in 24 outdoor ponds in 2 complementary
experiments over 8 weeks. The “dispersal experiment” tested the effect of
water regime on recruitment of hydrochorously dispersing seeds. The “seed
bank experiment” tested the effect of water regime on germination from a
sown seed bank, on steep and gradual shores. 3.In the dispersal
experiment, the drawdown regime increased recruitment and species
richness. Longer floating species colonised a larger shoreline section.
Soil moisture preference for germination did not determine colonisation
patterns. 4.In the seed bank experiment, the drawdown regime increased the
number of seedlings on gradual sloping shores, but not on steep shores.
The number of germinating seedlings corresponded to the area subjected to
the drawdown regime in both shore types. Species richness was not affected
by water regime or shore morphology, and species traits did not determine
shoreline colonisation. Most seeds germinated in moist soil conditions for
all species. 5.Synthesis. A spring drawdown instead of stable water regime
stimulates establishment of hydrochorously dispersing seeds in temperate
wetlands, leading to higher species richness and diversity. Germination
from the seed bank is more affected by water regime and shore surface than
by the tested species traits. Species traits, water levels and shore
morphology together determine wetland plant community assembly, with
dispersal as the main driver of seedling community diversity. Water level
regulations and shore morphology can be used to influence plant
communities in wetland restoration.
Dispersal experiment dataData from the seed release experimentDispersal
Jrl Ecol 2014.xlsxSeed bank experiment dataData on the number of
germinating seeds sown on the mats subjected to different water
regimesSeed bank Jrl Ecol 2014.xlsx