# Soil Seed Bank of the Alpine Endemic Carnation, Dianthus pavonius Tausch (Piedmont, Italy), a Useful Model for the Study of Host–Pathogen Dynamics

## TL;DR

This study explores the soil seed bank of an alpine carnation species and its role in host-pathogen coevolution.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the seed persistence and ecological resilience of Dianthus pavonius in alpine ecosystems.

## Key findings

- D. pavonius seeds are not physiologically dormant and can persist in soil for up to three years.
- The seedbank provides some demographic stability but is unlikely to strongly affect host-pathogen coevolution.
- Findings inform conservation strategies for this alpine species.

## Abstract

Soil seedbanks are particularly important for the resiliency of species living in habitats threatened by climate change, such as alpine meadows. We investigated the germination rate and seedbank potential for the endemic species Dianthus pavonius, a carnation native to the Maritime Alps that is used as model system for disease in natural populations due to its frequent infections by a sterilizing anther-smut pathogen. We aimed to ascertain whether this species can create a persistent reserve of viable seeds in the soil which could impact coevolutionary dynamics. Over three years, we collected data from seeds sown in natural soil and analyzed their germination and viability. We found that D. pavonius seeds are not physiologically dormant and they are able to create a persistent soil seed bank that can store seeds in the soil for up to three years, but lower than the estimated plant lifespan. We conclude that while the seedbank may provide some demographic stability to the host population, its short duration is unlikely to strongly affect the host’s ability to respond to selection from disease. Our findings have implications for the conservation of this alpine species and for understanding the evolutionary dynamics between the host and its pathogen.