New review paper on the soil seed banks of drylands
Our latest article a review of the soil seed bank of drylans, has been published with the first authorship of Abdubakir Kushbokov.
Kushbokov, A., Deák, B., Valkó, O. (2025): Characteristics of soil seed bank in global drylands – A review. Arid Land Research and Management 39: https://doi.org/10.1080/15324982.2025.2467728
The pdf of the article is available from the authors (please click here).
Drylands cover a large part of the Earth and are unique in terms of their biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. Understanding the characteristics and restoration potential of the soil seed bank is key to maintaining and restoring ecosystem biodiversity. In our review article, we looked at the characteristics of the soil seed bank in global drylands and analysed the key factors influencing seed bank density and composition, including soil and climatic characteristics, woody vegetation, topography, and grazing. In our article, we have shown that soil seedbank can contribute to some extent to the restoration of degraded dry habitats, but in many regions and in highly degraded and overgrazed environments, the restoration potential of seedbank is limited.
Please see the abstract of the paper below.
Abstract
Drylands, covering 45.4% of the global land area, are vital ecosystems that support 38% of the world's population and approximately 35% of global biodiversity. However, they face increasing threats from desertification, land degradation, and unsustainable management practices. Soil seed banks (SSBs) play a critical role in vegetation recovery, resilience, and biodiversity conservation in drylands. This review synthesizes evidence from 58 studies to evaluate the effects of grazing, topography, and woody plants on SSB dynamics and restoration potential. Grazing impacts on SSBs are highly variable, ranging from depletion under heavy grazing to enhanced seed density and diversity under moderate grazing or intermediate-term exclusion. Topographical features, such as dune tops and leeward slopes, and shrubs significantly influence SSB density and diversity by creating seed-rich microsites. While passive restoration using SSBs shows promise, especially in sandy grasslands, it is often slower than active interventions and limited by insufficient seed resources in severely degraded areas. The findings highlight the need for tailored grazing management and integrated restoration strategies to optimize the restoration potential of SSBs. Future research should address knowledge gaps related to underrepresented regions, deeper soil layers, long-term processes, and the combined effects of multiple drivers to enhance dryland ecosystem resilience and functionality.
