Note on the Occurrence of Buried Seeds in the Soil

Extract

In her initial paper on “Buried Weed Seeds” (this Journal (1918), IX, 1), Dr W. E. Brenchley, in commenting on the occurrence of seeds at a depth of 9 in. below the surface of the soil, suggests that such seeds may be washed through crannies, or carried down by worms.

During the past year we have carried out at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station experiments along the lines of those of Dr Brenchley, but confining our attention to different types of grassland. We have, in the case of certain stiff clay soils, obtained seedlings from samples taken 10–14 in. beneath the surface. In samples, however, taken from peaty, hill-soil, lying beneath natural associations of Molinia, of Nardus, of Fescue-Agrostis and of Calluna, few seedlings have arisen in each case from depths lower than 3 in. The latter soils are remarkable for containing extremely few earthworms, and the suggestion was provided that these animals are instrumental to a quite considerable degree in burying seeds deeply in the ground.