Seed characteristics play an important role in the colonization and subsequent persistence of species during succession in disturbed sites and thus may contribute to being able to predict restoration success. In the present study, we investigated how various seed characteristics participated in 11 spontaneous successional series running in different mining sites (spoil heaps, extracted sand and sand-gravel pits, extracted peatlands, and stone quarries) in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. Using 1864 samples from 1- to 100-years-old successional stages, we tested whether species optimum along the succession gradient could be predicted using 10 basic species traits connected with diaspores and dispersal. Seed longevity, diaspore mass, endozoochory, and autochory appeared to be the best predictors. The results indicate that seed characteristics can predict to a certain degree spontaneous vegetation succession, i.e., passive restoration, in the mining sites. A screening of species available in the given landscape (regional and local species pools) may help to identify those species which would potentially colonize the disturbed sites. Extensive databases of species traits, nowadays available for the Central European flora, enable such screening.

Department of Botany Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Benátská 2 128 01 Praha 2 Czech Republic

Department of Botany Faculty of Science USB Branišovská 31 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic

Institute of Botany Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Dukelská 135 37981 Třeboň Czech Republic

See more in PubMed

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2013 Nov;20(11):7680-5 PubMed

Trends Ecol Evol. 2015 May;30(5):241-7 PubMed

How can we restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in mining and industrial sites?