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Seed rain and soil seed bank compensatory roles on Nassella tenuis (Phil.) Barkworth seedling recruitment in ungrazed and grazed sites

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Abstract

In semi-arid lands, vegetation is distributed in shrub patches immersed in a less vegetated interpatch matrix. Grazing affects perennial grass seed bank through a decrease in seed rain and an increase in seed predation and soil compaction. Nevertheless, some species with anchorage mechanisms in their seeds might overcome this, such as Nassella tenuis (Phil.) Barkworth. This is an important species in grazing paddocks because it has an intermediate palatability and its relatively tolerant to grazing. These characteristics allow N. tenuis to increase its abundance in grazed sites. Our objective was to assess how grazing affects the key palatable species from seeds to seedlings: i.e., seed rain, soil seed bank, and seedling recruitment in different microsites along a windward-leeward transect across shrub canopy. We hypothesized that: (1) the negative effects of grazing on N. tenuis fructification are reflected in its seed rain, soil seed bank, and seedling recruitment, especially in interpatches; (2) Nassella tenuis seed rain reduction, soil compaction by cattle in grazed sites, and removal of seeds by wind decrease its soil seed bank, especially in microsites exposed to the predominant wind; and (3) the decrease in N. tenuis soil seed bank and cover increase in annual species in grazed sites have negative effects on its seedling recruitment, especially in microsites exposed to predominant wind. We placed seed traps, collected soil samples, and monitored seedling recruitment in different locations around shrub canopy to address our hypotheses. Also, we established a manipulative experiment in which we sow N. tenuis seeds and followed its recruitment in different microsites. We compared the seed rain, soil seed bank, natural seedling recruitment, and sown seeds recruitment of N. tenuis between grazed and ungrazed sites. We analyzed differences between microsites along a windward-leeward transect across shrubs patches. Seed rain and soil seed bank had the same density in patches and interpatches both in ungrazed and grazed sites. But seed rain was higher, and soil seed bank was lower in ungrazed sites than in grazed sites. Almost all under-canopy microsites showed greater soil seed bank abundance and natural seedling recruitment in ungrazed sites. Sown seeds recruitment was the same between grazed and ungrazed sites, but it showed protective effects of shrubs in leeward microsites under grazed sites. As a conclusion, seed rain and soil seed bank are complementary under grazed sites.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National University of Río Negro (PI 40-C-654, PI 40-C-873). This work was part of Dr. Cintia LEDER and Dr. Lic Dianela CALVO fellowships provided by the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET). We also like to thank Mr. Omar GRIFFITHS, Mr. Antonio BARROSO, Mr. Martín MORÁN and Mr. Sebastián MORÓN for allowing us to carry out our field research on their lands.

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  1. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Sede Atlántica, Centro de Estudios Ambientales desde la NorPatagonia (Center of Environmental Studies from North Patagonia (CEANPa), National University of Río Negro), Viedma, 8504, Argentina

    Cintia Vanesa Leder

  2. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Sede Atlántica, Centro de Estudios Ambientales desde la NorPatagonia-National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) (Center of Environmental Studies from North Patagonia (CEANPa), National University of Río Negro), Viedma, 8504, Argentina

    Dianela Alejandra Calvo & Guadalupe Peter

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  1. Cintia Vanesa Leder
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  2. Dianela Alejandra Calvo
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Correspondence to Guadalupe Peter.

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Leder, C.V., Calvo, D.A. & Peter, G. Seed rain and soil seed bank compensatory roles on Nassella tenuis (Phil.) Barkworth seedling recruitment in ungrazed and grazed sites. J. Arid Land 14, 550–560 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-022-0015-y

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