Global patterns of potential future plant diversity hidden in soil seed banks

Xuejun Yang, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Robin J. Pakeman, Zhenying Huang (), Ruiru Gao and Johannes H. C. Cornelissen
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Xuejun Yang: Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Carol C. Baskin: University of Kentucky
Jerry M. Baskin: University of Kentucky
Robin J. Pakeman: The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler
Zhenying Huang: Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ruiru Gao: Shanxi Normal University
Johannes H. C. Cornelissen: VU University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Soil seed banks represent a critical but hidden stock for potential future plant diversity on Earth. Here we compiled and analyzed a global dataset consisting of 15,698 records of species diversity and density for soil seed banks in natural plant communities worldwide to quantify their environmental determinants and global patterns. Random forest models showed that absolute latitude was an important predictor for diversity of soil seed banks. Further, climate and soil were the major determinants of seed bank diversity, while net primary productivity and soil characteristics were the main predictors of seed bank density. Moreover, global mapping revealed clear spatial patterns for soil seed banks worldwide; for instance, low densities may render currently species-rich low latitude biomes (such as tropical rain-forests) less resilient to major disturbances. Our assessment provides quantitative evidence of how environmental conditions shape the distribution of soil seed banks, which enables a more accurate prediction of the resilience and vulnerabilities of plant communities and biomes under global changes.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27379-1

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