VIABLE BURIED-SEED POPULATION IN THE MISCANTHUS-AND ZOYSIA TYPE GRASSLANDS IN JAPAN : ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE BURIED-SEED POPULATION IN THE SOIL RELATED TO PLANT SUCCESSION VI

Abstract

The number of seed grains in the soil of Miscanthus and Zoysia type grasslands was measured from the view point of succession. The samples of soil block, 10×10 cm square and 10cm deep, were collected at 10 points regularly spaced in each stand, and the seed grains were sifted out from each soil sample through a sieve and calculated in number. Thus, it was found that Miscanthus and Zoysia grassland contain in their soil 1980 and 18780 seed grains per 1×1 m square and 10 cm deep, respectively. In other words, the number of seed grains in the soil was much larger in the Zoysia type than in the Miscanthus type. From this fact, the difference in the mode of maintenance of community existing in both grassland types was discussed in terms of the buried-seed population.