Soil seed banks in plant invasions: promoting species invasiveness and long-term impakt on plant community dynamics
Abstract
The study of soil seed banks in the context of invasive species summarize (i) the functional roles of soil seed banks; (ii) describe how the capacity to form a seed bank may contribute to a species'invasiveness using data from the flora of the Czech Republic and showing an increasing representation of species capable of forming long-term persistent seed bank from casual to naturalized to invasion stage; (iii) assess the impact of invasive plants on seed banks of resident communities, including the potential creation of conditions that favour secondary invasions by other alien species or native weeds, and long-term implications of such impact; and (iv) describe the potential effects of climate change on the soil seed bank in the context of plant invasions. We conclude with highlighting promising avenues for future research on invaded soil seed banks, and we emphasize the importance of this knowledge in the development of control programs and restoration strategies.