Abstract: Seed bank is defined as the summation of viable seeds existing on soil surface and in soil. The study of seed bank is an important basis for exploring the structure, function, and dynamics of wetland vegetations, and also, an important complementarity in studying wetland biodiversity, being of directive significance in understanding the dynamics of vegetation succession, vegetation regeneration, and vegetation restoration of damaged wetland. Based on the researches about the seed bank of freshwater wetland at home and abroad, this paper summarized the formation of wetland seed bank, its study methods, temporal and spatial distribution patterns, relationships with vegetation composition, effects of hydrology on the composition of the seed bank, and applications of the seed bank in wetland restoration. The future researches about the temporal dynamics of wetland seed bank, classification of the seed bank, relationships between the seed bank and vegetation composition, and construction of wetland landscape by using the seed bank were also prospected.

Key words: Changbai Mountains, Forest-swamp ecotone, Community biomass、Distribution pattern