Abstract

ZEPEDA-GOMEZ, Carmen; LOT, Antonio; ANTONIO-NEMIGA, Xanat  and  MANJARREZ, Javier. Seed bank evaluation and its relevance in wetland plant rehabilitation from central Mexico. Bot. sci [online]. 2015, vol.93, n.4, pp.695-707. ISSN 2007-4476.  https://doi.org/10.17129/botsci.245.

Methods of seed bank evaluation have a particular efficiency and each one provides a different picture of the vegetation, however, this information can be very useful in restoration programs for wetland vegetation. The aim was to compare quantitatively the Chignahuapan seed bank using two methods and infer whether plant communities could be rehabilitated from it. In the seasonally flooded areas of the marsh we collected samples of the top 10 cm of sediment to evaluate the seed bank by the methods of separation and of germination. The tested methods differ in species composition and in its abundance. Separation method predicted higher richness, diversity and density. Germination method showed a higher similarity to the established vegetation and predicted which species emerge more easily from the bank. The low similarity and the lack of relationship between species of both methods show that each technique has a different predictive power, thus its isolated application should be avoided. Chignahuapan seed bank includes 60 species and is characterized by the presence of plants with high ecological tolerance, low similarity with established vegetation and the absence of strict aquatic plants previously registered as typical elements in the region. This seed bank can be used in future restoration programs of the marsh, with the limitation to restore plant species of early succession stages.

Keywords : Chignahuapan; germination method; hydrophytes; restoration; wetland.

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