Abstract
In this study, the compositions of soil seed banks in forest topsoil in Tokyo, Tochigi, and Yamanashi were investigated to examine their potential as the material of revegetation using forest topsoil. Results using the seedling emergence method showed that a plant community dominated by indigenous species could be established with any topsoil used for revegetation. Many indigenous species seeds were common in the three regions. Some common herb species were Carex leucochlora Bunge, Lysimachia clethroides Duby, Carex duvaliana Fr. et Sav., and Viola grypoceras A. Gray, and some pioneer tree species were Stachyurus praecox Sieb. et Zucc., Broussonetia kazinoki × Broussonetia papyrifera, Stephanandra incisa Zabel, Aralia elata Seemann, and Rhus javanica Linn. It was suggested that it was possible to establish similar plant communities with many pioneer tree species by using forest topsoil from the study sites. On the other hand, few buried dormant seeds in topsoil existed after seedling emergence method experiments that had been continued for one year or more. It’s more efficient to examine soil seed banks using the seedling emergence method in the outdoors in early spring in order to clarify their potential as a material of revegetation using forest topsoil in short time.
