Seed mass and shape are related to persistence in a sandy soil in northern China

Whether and how seed mass and shape are related to seed persistence in soil is a controversial topic in plant ecology. There is little information on this relationship in sandy habitats. We tested whether or not this pattern is retained among 141 species within a range of growth forms, from a wide range of families, in the Horqin sandy land of northern China, which belongs to the inland sand ecosystem. We collected information on seed mass, shape and persistence of these species in this region from published articles. Seed mass and shape were found to be significantly and negatively correlated to persistence in the soil in the Chinese flora, in the same way as in most other floras examined, but not in the same way as the Israeli coastal sand dune flora. The value of seed mass and shape as good predictors of persistence in the soil could be applied to the Horqin sandy land. Although many factors affect the relationship between seed mass, shape and persistence, ease of burial appears to be the main potential interpretation in the Horqin sandy land.