Self-Affinity, Self-Similarity and Disturbance of Soil Seed Banks by Tillage

Plants

关键词: disturbance;    fractal;    seed shape;    seed size;    self-affinity;    self-similarity;    soil seed banks;    tillage;   

DOI  :  10.3390/plants2030455

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Soil seed banks were sampled in undisturbed soil and after soil had been disturbed by tillage (tine, harrow or plough). Seeds were sorted by size and shape, and counted. Size-number distributions were fitted by power law equations that allowed the identification of self-similarity and self-affinity. Self-affinity and thus non-random size-number distribution prevailed in undisturbed soil. Self-similarity and thus randomness of size-number distribution prevailed after tillage regardless of the intensity of disturbance imposed by cultivation. The values of fractal dimensions before and after tillage were low, suggesting that short-term, short-range factors govern size-number distribution of soil seed banks.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.