Germination and early establishment of lower salt-marsh species in grazed and mown salt marsh
-
Published source details
Bakker J.P. & Vries Y. (1992) Germination and early establishment of lower salt-marsh species in grazed and mown salt marsh. Journal of Vegetation Science, 3, 247-252.
Published source details Bakker J.P. & Vries Y. (1992) Germination and early establishment of lower salt-marsh species in grazed and mown salt marsh. Journal of Vegetation Science, 3, 247-252.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Introduce seeds of non-woody plants: brackish/saline wetlands Action Link |
 |
-
Introduce seeds of non-woody plants: brackish/saline wetlands
A replicated study in 1989 in a salt marsh in the Netherlands (Bakker & de Vries 1992) reported that 0–19% of salt marsh plant species’ seeds germinated after sowing, and that 0–83% of seedlings survived their first growing season. Germination and survival rates varied between sown species, the plant community in which they were sown, and whether vegetation was grazed or mown (see original paper for details). The species with the highest overall germination rate was sea aster Aster tripolium: 98 seedlings found during the first growing season (vs 750 seeds sown). The species with the highest overall survival rate was spear-leaved orache Atriplex prostrata: 35 seedlings alive at the end of August (vs 80 seedlings germinated). Only one Danish scurvygrass Cochlearia danica seedling survived until the end of August (vs 63 germinated). Methods: In March 1989, at total of 9,000 seeds were sown into a coastal salt marsh. Five batches of 50 seeds were sown for each of six species, in three recipient plant communities, and for each of two disturbance regimes (summer grazing or annual mowing; date not reported). Germination and survival were monitored until the end of August.
(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)
