Abstract

Predicting how seeds persist in the soil seed bank based on easy-to-measure traits is of prime importance to improve management strategies in grazing, farming, and species invasion. We found that seeds that are smaller and rounder are more likely to form persistent seed banks at a global scale, using the 1303 species. The relationship between seed bank persistence and seed mass and shape was not affected by phylogeny or mean annual precipitation. However, the relationships is not significant in woody perennials. Species with smaller seeds are more likely to form persistent seed banks at sites with low soil sand content, in grassland systems or at low mean annual temperatures. Species with rounder seeds are more likely to form a persistent seed bank at higher latitudes. Our results suggest that seed burial mechanics exert environmental filtering on seed traits, and help improve to assess vegetation restoration capacity.