Abstract
We conducted an assessment of seed banks in 8 playa lakes on the Southern High Plains of Texas. The seedling-emergence technique was used to determine species composition in 2 environmental moisture regimes (drawdown and submerged). The Gleasonian model of van der Valk was used to predict field vegetation from floristic composition of the seed bank in each playa lake. Based on life-history characteristics of species found in the seed-bank, we predicted the composition of playa vegetation during May, June, and August for 2 years under 3 moisture regimes (dry, moist, flooded). Twenty-six of the 39 species found in the seed-bank were annuals that were able to exploit the rapidly changing moisture regime of playas. Although, seedling densities differed among playas, the model adequately predicted the composition of vegetation in the playas. As environmental variability increased (more annual wet-dry fluctuations), the model became less reliable. To improve the model for playas, we suggest inclusion of frequency, depth, and longevity of flooding in the model.
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Haukos, D.A., Smith, L.M. Seed-bank composition and predictive ability of field vegetation in playa lakes. Wetlands 13, 32–40 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160863
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160863