Abstract: Exploring the differences of community characteristics, species diversity and soil seed bank of Caragana korshinskii forests in different growth states, and analyzing the correlation between plant community and soil seed bank can provide a basic theory for the natural restoration of Caragana korshinskii forests. In this study, we conducted community surveys in Caragana korshinskii forests with different growth states in Kubuqi Desert, and sampled soil seed bank. The quantitative characteristics of soil seed bank were analyzed by microscopic examination in the laboratory. The results showed that: (1) Plant height, crown width, and vegetation coverage of Caragana korshinskii artificial replanting forest were the largest. Plant species richness in Caragana korshinskii aged and degraded forest was the highest, which was 12 species, mainly from Leguminosae and Amaranthaceae. (2) The Shannon diversity index and Margalef richness index of Caragana korshinskii aged and degraded forest were the highest, being 2.26 and 2.52, respectively. (3) Soil seed bank was mainly concentrated in 0-2 cm soil layer. The density of soil seed bank in 0-2 cm of Caragana korshinskii aged and degraded forest was the highest, which was 2614 seeds·m^-2. (4) The density of soil seed bank was significantly positively correlated with plant species richness and community coverage. Therefore, the potential of soil seed bank can be fully utilized to promote the natural restoration of vegetation during the process of regeneration and transformation of aged and degraded forests.

Key words: Caragana korshinskii, plant diversity, soil seed bank, Kubuqi Desert