Seed bank and vegetation succession in abandoned fields in Karkali Nature Reserve, southern Finland

摘要: The vegetation of three abandoned fields in Karkali Nature Reserve southern Finland developed without human impact for 21 years. In 1967, the first summer after abandonment, permanent sample plots were set up to study succession vegetation; these inspected every fifth year. autumn 1988 and 1989, soil samples taken seed germination. composition bank is here correlated with successional cover. average size was 50 000 viable seeds m~2 a depth 25 cm. most abundant taxa Gnaphalium uliginosum (L.) Opiz, Juncus spp., Hypericum Sagina procumbens L. Veronica serpyllifolia L., representing species common early stages succession. Seeds 17 found have remained 5-21 Analysis vertical structure shown be useful means evaluating which arrived before abandonment fields.