Effect of Leaf Litter on Seed Survival of Kmeria septentrionalis in Karst Habitat

It is generally accepted that leaf litter covering plant seeds may be beneficial for seed survival, but it is unclear whether leaf litter contributes to the survival of Kmeria septentrionalis seeds in karst habitat. Herein, we investigated the seed removal of K. septentrionalis by rodents at different locations (beneath and away from the mother tree) using two treatments (leaf litter coverage and control) to clarify the effect of leaf litter coverage on seed survival. The average seed survival rate with leaf litter covering was substantially higher than that of the control (29.36 & PLUSMN;6.54% vs. 17.07 & PLUSMN;5.57%), as was seed survival time (9.38 & PLUSMN;0.74 d vs. 4.96 & PLUSMN;0.60 d). The average seed survival rates beneath the mother tree (21.14 & PLUSMN;5.82%) was lower than that away from the mother tree (25.29 & PLUSMN;6.48%). Seed survival rate was significantly affected by leaf litter (P<0.001). Finally, as all the seeds were completely consumed or removed by rodents, we deduced that leaf litter coverage only prolonged the seed survival time of K. septentrionalis but did not improve seed survival rate. Our results indicate that the higher predation rate of seeds by rodents may be the main reason for the endangerment of this plant.