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Seed removal susceptibility through soil erosion shapes vegetation composition

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Abstract

Soil erosion and vegetation cover are negatively related in semiarid slopes due to the influence of erosion on important soil surface properties for plant establishment and development, but also because the removal of seeds and plants. Previous published work concluded that seed mass is the main factor explaining the seed susceptibility to removal by soil erosion but that this susceptibility can be modified by the presence of seed appendages (hairs, wings, awns) and the ability of seeds to segregate mucilage in contact with water. In the present work we first analyzed how the presence of seed appendages and the ability of seeds to segregate mucilage modify the susceptibility of seeds to removal by soil erosion, and then if soil erosion, through its effects on seed removal can explain plant community composition of semiarid slopes. Results indicate that segregation of mucilage reduces seed susceptibility to be removed and that this seed susceptibility to removal is lower for plants living on steep slopes than that of species living in communities of flat sites. We then argue that soil erosion by water has the potential to affect plant communities of semi-arid Mediterranean slopes.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the FEDER-CICYT (IFD97-0551), Hidroescala (REN2000-1709-C04-01/GLO) and ARIDERO (CGL2005-03912/BOS) projects. We thank Noelia Garrigós, Marta Ramis, Dr. Maria José Molina, Dr. Daniel Montesinos and Jordi Chofre for laboratory collaboration and Dr. Florencio Ingelmo for his advice and assistance with the rainfall simulator. We also thank the Banc de Llavors of the Conselleria de Medi Ambient and the Jardí Botànic de València for supplying of some of the seeds used in this study. We thank Professor Shyam S. Phartyal and one anonymous referee for valuable comments that significantly improved this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Ecology, Desertification Research Center—CIDE (CSIC-UV-GV), Camí de la Marjal s/n., 46470, València, Spain

    Patricio García-Fayos & Esther Bochet

  2. Department of Geography, University of València, C/ Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010, València, Spain

    Artemi Cerdà

Authors
  1. Patricio García-Fayos
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  2. Esther Bochet
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  3. Artemi Cerdà
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Correspondence to Patricio García-Fayos.

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Responsible editor: Jeffrey Walck.

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García-Fayos, P., Bochet, E. & Cerdà, A. Seed removal susceptibility through soil erosion shapes vegetation composition. Plant Soil 334, 289–297 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0382-6

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