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Background and aims <p>Soil properties change markedly during secondary succession, yet how multiple soil factors jointly shape community-level seed traits remains unclear. We tested whether successional changes in soil physicochemical properties exert opposing selection pressures on community-level seed germination strategies.</p> Methods <p>Using a post-arable chronosequence (5–30&#xa0;years since abandonment) in subalpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, we measured six community-weighted mean seed traits and soil properties (nutrients, moisture, pH) across successional stages. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the direct and indirect causal pathways linking succession, soil properties, and seed traits.</p> Results <p>Relationships between seed germination traits and soil properties shifted dynamically across the succession. Among the six seed traits, successional effects were strongest for the two environment-responsive germination traits, community-weighted mean response to temperature fluctuation (CWMR525) and to wet-cold stratification (CWMRwc). Succession primarily influenced seed traits indirectly through soil properties. Increased soil water content (SWC)was associated with greater responsiveness to temperature fluctuation (higher CWMR525), yielding a positive indirect effect (+ 0.618), whereas, soil nutrient pathway was associated with a stronger shift toward delayed, wet-cold-stratification-dependent germination (represented by CWMRwc), producing a stronger opposing indirect effect (− 1.424). The imbalance between these pathways resulted in a net shift toward more conservative environment-responsive germination strategies in late successional stage.</p> Conclusion <p>Belowground soil abiotic changes during succession primarily filters environment-responsive germination traits. Opposing moisture and nutrient pathways shape regeneration niches from the earliest life stage and provide a trait-based, mechanistic perspective for restoration in managed subalpine grasslands.</p>

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Antagonistic soil pathways shape environment-responsive seed germination strategies during secondary succession in subalpine meadows

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月23日

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  • Shuxia Li,
  • Kun Liu,
  • Zhilong Zhang,
  • Haiyan Bu

摘要

Background and aims

Soil properties change markedly during secondary succession, yet how multiple soil factors jointly shape community-level seed traits remains unclear. We tested whether successional changes in soil physicochemical properties exert opposing selection pressures on community-level seed germination strategies.

Methods

Using a post-arable chronosequence (5–30 years since abandonment) in subalpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, we measured six community-weighted mean seed traits and soil properties (nutrients, moisture, pH) across successional stages. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the direct and indirect causal pathways linking succession, soil properties, and seed traits.

Results

Relationships between seed germination traits and soil properties shifted dynamically across the succession. Among the six seed traits, successional effects were strongest for the two environment-responsive germination traits, community-weighted mean response to temperature fluctuation (CWMR525) and to wet-cold stratification (CWMRwc). Succession primarily influenced seed traits indirectly through soil properties. Increased soil water content (SWC)was associated with greater responsiveness to temperature fluctuation (higher CWMR525), yielding a positive indirect effect (+ 0.618), whereas, soil nutrient pathway was associated with a stronger shift toward delayed, wet-cold-stratification-dependent germination (represented by CWMRwc), producing a stronger opposing indirect effect (− 1.424). The imbalance between these pathways resulted in a net shift toward more conservative environment-responsive germination strategies in late successional stage.

Conclusion

Belowground soil abiotic changes during succession primarily filters environment-responsive germination traits. Opposing moisture and nutrient pathways shape regeneration niches from the earliest life stage and provide a trait-based, mechanistic perspective for restoration in managed subalpine grasslands.