Seed rain and seed bank have been recognized as crucial in vegetation dynamics since they allow regeneration, influence the spatial structure of plant populations and contribute to the maintenance of species genetic variability. Understanding these components in the community requires description of dispersal shadows and syndromes and an analysis of the emergence behavior of the species in a local scale. The aim of this study is to determine temporal and spatial variation of dispersion and of buried seeds in the temperate forest of the
Seed rain showed a richness of 35 species for Quercus vegetation type, 23 for Abies and 12 for Pinus stands. Registered abundances were 425, 316 and 180 diaspores respectively during the rainy season. During the dry season richness as well as abundances registered an important increase, up to 48 species and three times higher abundance for the former case. Similarity index showed that Quercus and Abies stands share 37% of their species. Quercus and Pinus stands shared 9% and Pinus and Abies 15%. Shannon-Wiener diversity index resulted slightly higher for the Abies stand (2.4) during the rainy season, due to dominance of a species in the Quercus stand, mostly in the dry season. Seed bank showed its largest richness value for Quercus stand with 29 species and the abundances behaved as follows: 196 seedlings (rainy season) and 367 (dry season). Similarity index between seed rain and seed bank showed the highest value for the Quercus stand. Analysis of variance showed a significant effect of seasonality on species composition and abundance of the seed rain. Seasonality showed an effect on seed bank richness only. Results indicate that species in this forest are contributing actively and differentially to the natural regeneration of the system. Most common dispersal syndromes are related to wind. These studies give fundamental information for restoration and management plans.
