The effects of size of opening in vegetation and litter cover on seedling establishment of goldenrods ( Solidago spp.)

We investigated the effects of size of opening in the vegetation and litter cover on seedling establishment of two species of goldenrods ( Solidago spp.) in an abandoned field in southwestern Michigan, U.S.A. Seeds of S. canadensis and S. juncea were sown into clipped plots, ranging from 0 cm (control, unclipped) to 100 cm in diameter, with and without litter. Seedling emergence, survival and growth were followed for one year. Soil moisture was not significantly different among the opening sizes, but, within a size, tended to be lower when litter was removed. Light intensity at the soil surface was positively related to opening size early in the growing season, but later in the growing season reached a maximum in intermediate-sized openings and then leveled off.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47747/1/442_2004_Article_BF00379516.pd

The importance of seeds and sexual reproduction in the population biology of Cirsium arvense - a literature review

In this review the available information on the sexual reproduction of Cirsium arvense L. (Scop.) is summarized and discussed in an ecological context. Certain aspects of its sexual reproduction system have given C. arvense a reputation for low efficiency: the dioecious mating system and dependence on insects for pollination and non-adaptive features for wind dispersal. The seeds are moderately persistent in soil and, for a temperate weed, have a high temperature requirement for germination. It is concluded that the contribution that sexual reproduction makes to the survival and spread of this species has been underestimated, partly owing to an inadequate number of studies. Seedling recruitment via sexual reproduction may be an important mechanism for initiating continued genetic diversity at intra- and inter-population levels