Seed Bank Dynamics in an Inland Salt Marsh, with Special Emphasis on the Halophyte Hordeum jubatum L.

Abstract

Seed bank dynamics of the short-lived perennial halophyte Hordeum jubatum L. and the annual halophytes Atriplex triangularis Willd. and Salicornia europaea L. were examined in three zones of an inland saline marsh near Rittman, Ohio. The seed bank was assayed using a sequence of temperature treatments to satisfy the germination requirements of all species. Viable seeds of H. jubatum and other halophytes persisted in the soil seed bank after the normal spring germination season. Total seed bank ranged from 479,200 seeds/m² to 85,925 seeds/m². However, seeds of H. jubatum usually comprised less than 30% of the seeds in the total seed bank for the three zones of the marsh in which it occurred during the sampling period from February 1987 to November 1988. Atriplex triangularis also produced a persistent seed bank in each of the three zones. We concluded that H. jubatum is less dependent on a large seed bank for maintaining its population than are the annual halophytes because it is a short-lived perennial.