The natural regeneration of disturbed forest sites is becoming increasingly important due to climate change. Following disturbance events affecting large areas seed trees are often absent from the site, and regeneration solely by means of seed rain may not be successful. In these situations, soil seed banks are an important driver of the regeneration and reforestation of forest sites. The aim of the study was to determine the birch seed density in the soil of birch stands, spruce–birch stands and spruce stands dependent upon the number of seed trees (stands) and upon varying degrees of ground cover using the ‘seedling emergence method.’ The study revealed a significant link between the quantity of germinated birch seedlings in soil samples and the presence of seed sources. Seedling densities of birch in the different stand categories reached 2644–6414 seedlings per m² [n m⁻²] in birch stands, 392–759 n m⁻² in spruce–birch stands and 25–122 n m⁻² in pure spruce stands. The density of germinated birch seedlings was also negatively affected by the soil layer. In all stand types, the factors humus thickness, litter cover, moss cover and herb cover had no significant influence on the amount of birch seedlings. Successful rapid regeneration of disturbed sites by means of the birch soil seed bank is guaranteed in cases where birch stands, or at least birch seed trees, were present before the event. The influence of ground cover on the regeneration potential of birch from the soil is negligible.

由于气候变化，受干扰的森林遗址的自然更新变得越来越重要。影响大面积种子树的后续干扰事件通常不会出现在现场，仅通过种子雨进行再生可能不会成功。在这些情况下，土壤种子库是林地更新和重新造林的重要驱动力。该研究的目的是确定桦树林、云杉-桦树林和云杉林土壤中的桦树种子密度，这取决于种子树（林分）的数量和使用“出苗法”的不同程度的地面覆盖。 ' 该研究揭示了土壤样品中发芽的桦树幼苗数量与种子来源的存在之间存在显着联系。²  [n m ^-2 ] 在桦木林中，392-759 nm ^-2在云杉-桦木林中，25-122 nm ^-2在纯云杉林中。发芽的桦树幼苗的密度也受到土壤层的负面影响。在所有林分类型中，腐殖质厚度、凋落物覆盖、苔藓覆盖和草本覆盖等因素对桦树幼苗数量没有显着影响。如果在事件发生前存在桦树林或至少是桦树种子树，则可以保证通过桦树土壤种子库成功地快速更新受干扰的地点。地面覆盖对桦树从土壤中再生的潜力的影响可以忽略不计。