Seed covering and dry periods in the rainy season interfere with direct seeding success in the restoration of post-mined grasslands

Abstract

Among the limitations for the use of direct seeding in the ecological restoration of severely degraded areas in tropical grasslands, the association between dry periods and an inhospitable substrate stands out. This work evaluated whether covering seed with a soil layer and the addition of a thin topsoil layer to the degraded substrate interferes with native plant establishment in degraded areas. The effect of rainfall variations on direct seeding results was also measured. The establishment of seven native species was evaluated under four different conditions: 1) seeding on degraded substrate, 2) seeding covered by 1 cm degraded substrate layer, 3) seeding on 1cm topsoil layer, and 4) seeding covered by 1 cm topsoil layer. In general, species with smaller seeds showed higher establishment percentages in treatments in which seeds were deposited on the substrate. Legume species, which have larger seeds, achieved better establishment percentage when seeds were covered by the substrate. The addition of topsoil was beneficial for Bulbostylis fimbriata (Cyperaceae), while for the other species, the effect was null or harmful. Data also showed that rainfall amount and distribution affected the establishment rate. Direct seeding is an advantageous alternative for the ecological restoration of tropical grassland degraded by mining. Better knowledge on sowing management and behavior of native species can contribute to improving the efficiency of this technique.