SOIL SEED BANK OF NATIVE AND EXOTIC PLANTS IN TWO ADJACENT ECOSYSTEMS OF MOIST TROPICS
Abstract
Author(s): Upama Mall, Kumari Poonam, Gopal S. Singh
Most of studies of exotic species in plant communities have focused on analyzing the distribution and occurrence in standing vegetation, but in this paper we have discussed ecological study of soil s eed bank of native/exotic plants in two adjacent ecosystems of moist tropics. Soil seed bank are important component of ecosystems. It is viable seeds on soil surface or buried in the soil. Now-a-days soil seed bank of invasive plants has become important at various ecological aspects in terms of belowground diversity, standing vegetation dynamics and its importance at global scale due to interference of human, urban encroachment, agricultural productivity. So detail analysis of seed bank of native and invasive species in two adjacent ecosystems have examined in terms of seed density at different soil depth, their habit life form, nativity, seed bank types, phenological events along with economic and ethno utilization. Both native and exotic species are used in traditional medicine and making ropes, fibers and as forage and fodder for cattles. Phenological study of species is important to know ecological periodicity of flowering, fruiting, seed production, pollination and seed dispersal according to climate change.
