Changes and determinants of belowground bud banks of a rhizomatous clonal plant Sophora alopecuroides L. in the desert steppe, northern China

Belowground bud banks are essential for the regeneration of plant population in arid desert areas, and their response to environmental changes could reflect adaptive strategies of plants to desert habitats. However, the size and composition of belowground bud banks and their response to environmental factors in the desert steppe zone remain poorly understood, challenging desertification control efforts in arid desert areas. This study examined the density and vertical distribution of horizontal and vertical rhizome buds of a rhizomatous legume herb Sophora alopecuroides L., its population characteristics, and soil physical-chemical properties in three habitats (interdune lowland (IL), flat sandy land (FSL), and desert steppe (DS)) in a desert steppe zone, northern China. Our findings revealed that: (1) total and horizontal rhizome bud densities of S. alopecuroides differed significantly among the three habitats ( P