Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of elevated nitrogen and exotic plant invasion on soil seed bank composition in Joshua Tree National Park

  • Published:
Plant Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We investigated the effects of exotic species invasion and 3 years of nitrogen (N) fertilization on the soil seed bank in Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA at four sites along an N deposition gradient. We compared seed bank composition and density in control (no N added) and fertilized (30 kg N ha−1 year−1) plots to determine if the seed bank would reflect aboveground changes due to N fertilization. Soil samples were collected and germinated in a greenhouse over 2 years. In the field, invasive species cover responded positively to N fertilization. However, we did not observe increased seed density of exotic invasive species in fertilized plots. While no significant differences were detected between treatments within sites, exotic invasive grass seeds overwhelmed the seed bank at all sites. Significant differences between sites were found, which may be due to differences in level of invasion, historic N deposition, and soil surface roughness. Sites experiencing low N deposition had the highest seed bank species richness for both control and fertilized treatments. Aboveground plant density did not correlate well with seed bank density, possibly due to the inherent patchiness of soil seed banks and differential ability of species to form seed banks. This seed bank study provided insight into site-specific impacts on native versus invasive species composition of soil seed banks, as well as magnitude of invasion and restoration potential at invaded sites.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen EB, Rao LE, Steers RJ, Bytnerowicz A, Fenn ME (2009) Impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on vegetation and soils in Joshua Tree National Park. In: Webb RH, Fenstermaker LF, Heaton JS, Hughson DL, McDonald EV, Miller DM (eds) The Mojave Desert: ecosystem processes and sustainability. University of Nevada Press, Las Vegas, pp 78–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker HG (1974) The evolution of weeds. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 5:1–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldwin IT, Gorham D, Schmelz EA, Lewandowski CA, Lynds GY (1998) Allocation of nitrogen to an inducible defense and seed production in Nicotiana attenuata. Oecologia 115:541–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barkworth ME, Capels KM, Long S, Anderton LK, Piep MB (eds) (2007) Flora of North America, vol 24. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekker RM, Bakker JP, Grandin U, Kalamees R, Milberg P, Poschlod P, Thompson K, Willems JH (1998) Seed size, shape and vertical distribution in the soil: indicators of seed longevity. Funct Ecol 12:834–842

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benvenuti S (2007) Natural weed seed burial: effect of soil texture, rain and seed characteristics. Seed Sci Res 17:211–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks ML (2000a) Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens. In: Bossard CC, Randall JM, Hoshovsky MC (eds) Invasive plants of California’s wildlands. University of California Press, Los Angeles, pp 72–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks ML (2000b) Competition between alien annual grasses and native annual plants in the Mojave Desert. Am Midl Nat 144:92–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks ML (2003) Effects of increased soil nitrogen on the dominance of alien annual plants in the Mojave Desert. J App Ecol 40:344–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Busso CA, Bonvissuto GL (2009) Soil seed bank in and between vegetation patches in arid Patagonia, Argentina. Environ Exp Bot 67:188–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caballero IJ, Olano M, Loidi J, Escudero A (2008) A model for small scale seed bank and standing vegetation connection along time. Oikos 117:1788–1795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamber JC (1995) Relationships between seed fates and seedling establishment in an alpine ecosystem. Ecology 76:2124–2133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers JC, MacMahon JA (1994) A day in the life of a seed: movements and fates of seeds and their implications for natural and managed systems. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 25:263–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cione NK, Padgett PE, Allen EB (2002) Restoration of a native shrubland impacted by exotic grasses, frequent fire, and nitrogen deposition in southern California. Restor Ecol 10:376–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coffin DP, Lauenroth WK (1989) Spatial and temporal variation in the seed bank of a semiarid grassland. Am J Bot 76:53–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cousens R, Mortimer M (1995) Dynamics of weed populations. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cox RD, Allen EB (2008) Composition of soil seed banks in southern California coastal sage scrub and adjacent exotic grassland. Plant Ecol 198:37–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenn ME, Baron JS, Allen EB, Rueth HM, Nydick KR, Geiser L, Bowman WD, Sickman JO, Meixner T, Johnson DW, Neitlich P (2003) Ecological effects of nitrogen deposition in the western United States. Bioscience 53:404–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gioria M, Osborne B (2009) Assessing the impact of plant invasions on soil seed bank communities: use of univariate and multivariate statistical approaches. J Veg Sci 20:547–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gioria M, Osborne B (2010) Similarities in the impact of three large invasive plant species on soil seed bank communities. Biol Invasions 12:1671–1683

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gross KL (1990) A comparison of methods for estimating seed numbers in the soil. J Ecol 78:1079–1093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo QF, Rundel PW, Goodall DW (1999) Structure of desert seed banks: comparisons across four North American desert sites. J Arid Environ 42:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutterman Y (1994) Strategies of seed dispersal and germination in plants inhabiting deserts. Bot Rev 60:373–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendricks SB, Taylorson RB (1974) Promotion of seed germination by nitrate, nitrite, hydroxylamine, and ammonium salts. Plant Physiol 54:304–309

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hickman JC (ed) (1996) The Jepson manual: higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz M, Regev Y, Herzlinger G (1983) Solarization for weed control. Weed Sci 31:170–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Hull AC Jr (1973) Germination of range plant seeds after long periods of uncontrolled storage. J Range Manage 26:198–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kemp PR (1989) Seed banks and vegetation processes in deserts. In: Leck MA, Parker VT, Simpson RL (eds) Ecology of soil seed banks. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 257–281

    Google Scholar 

  • King SA, Buckney RT (2001) Exotic plants in the soil-stored seed bank of urban bushland. Aust J of Bot 49:717–720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luzuriaga A, Escudero A, Olano JM, Loidi J (2005) Regenarative role of seed banks following an intense soil disturbance. Acta Oecol 27:57–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mack RN, Simberloff D, Lonsdale WM, Evans H, Clout M, Bazzaz FA (2000) Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences, and control. Ecol Appl 10:689–710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ochoa-Hueso R, Manrique E (2010) Nitrogen fertilization and water supply affect germination and plant establishment of the soil seed bank present in a semi-arid Mediterranean scrubland. Plant Ecol 210:263–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plassmann K, Nigel B, Jones MLM, Edwards-Jones G (2008) Can atmospheric input of nitrogen affect seed bank dynamics in habitats of conservation interest? The case of dune slacks. Appl Veg Sci 11:413–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao LE, Allen EB (2010) Combined effects of precipitation and nitrogen deposition on native and invasive winter annual production in California deserts. Oecologia 162:1035–1046

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rao LE, Parker DR, Bytnerowicz A, Allen EB (2009) Nitrogen mineralization across an atmospheric nitrogen deposition gradient in Southern California deserts. J Arid Environ 73:920–930

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao LE, Allen EB, Meixner T (2010) Risk-based determination of critical nitrogen deposition loads for fire spread in southern California deserts. Ecol Appl 20:1320–1335

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reichman OJ (1984) Spatial and temporal variation of seed distributions in Sonoran Desert soils. J Biogeogr 11:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts HA (1981) Seed banks in soil. Adv Appl Biol 6:1–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Saleh A (1993) Soil roughness measurement: chain method. J Soil Water Conserv 48:527–529

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider HE (2010) From seed banks to communities: effects of plant invasions and nitrogen deposition on desert annual forbs. Dissertation, University of California, Riverside

  • Templeton A, Levin D (1979) Evolutionary consequences of seed pools. Am Nat 114:232–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ter Heerdt GNJ, Verweij GL, Bekker RM, Bakker JP (1996) An improved method for seed-bank analysis: seedling emergence after removing the soil by sieving. Funct Ecol 10:144–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson K, Grime JP (1979) Seasonal variation in seed banks of herbaceous species in ten contrasting habitats. J Ecol 67:893–921

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson K, Band SR, Hodgson JG (1993) Seed size and shape predict persistence in soil. Funct Ecol 7:236–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Wesemael B, Poesen J, Kosmas CS, Danalatos NG, Nachtergaele J (1996) Evapotranspiration from cultivated soils containing rock fragments. J Hydrol 182:65–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venable DL (2007) Bet hedging in a guild of desert annuals. Ecology 88:1086–1090

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vila M, Gimeno I (2007) Does invasion by an alien plant species affect the soil seed bank? J Veg Sci 18:423–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu KK, Jain SK (1979) Population regulation in Bromus rubens and B. mollis: life cycle components and competition. Oecologia 39:337–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao F, Evans EJ, Bilsborrow PE, Syers JK (1993) Influence of sulphur and nitrogen on seed yield and quality of low glucosinolate oilseed rape (Brassica napus L). J Sci Food Agr 63:29–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the National Park Service Air Quality/Ecological Effects Program (PMIS #110325), the National Science Foundation Biocomplexity Program (NSF DEB 04-21530), and the Joshua Tree National Park Graduate Student Research Grant Program. We thank Christopher True for field help and Andrew Sanders of the University of California, Riverside Herbarium for assistance with plant identification.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany & Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, 2150 Batchelor Hall, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Heather E. Schneider & Edith B. Allen

Authors
  1. Heather E. Schneider
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edith B. Allen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heather E. Schneider.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schneider, H.E., Allen, E.B. Effects of elevated nitrogen and exotic plant invasion on soil seed bank composition in Joshua Tree National Park. Plant Ecol 213, 1277–1287 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-012-0085-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-012-0085-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation