What makes a soil seed bank transient or persistent?

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The image shows a group of Virginia big-eared bats sleeping upside down in a dark cavern. — Dormancy Virginia big-eared bats (*Corynorhinus townsendii virginianushibernating*) are true hibernators, entering a state close to death for much of the winter.

The distinction between transient and persistent soil seed banks is primarily determined by the characteristics of seed dormancy.1

Transient seed banks: These are composed of species that produce seeds with little to no period of dormancy. Because these seeds typically germinate before the next cycle of seed production, the seed bank is continually depleted and must be reestablished. This strategy is common among long-lived perennials, such as trees and shrubs, which often rely on other survival mechanisms like long-lived adults or extensive seed dispersal.1
Persistent seed banks: These consist of seeds capable of remaining dormant for more than one year, ensuring that a reserve of viable seeds is always present in the soil. This is a critical survival strategy for many annual plants and certain woody plants, where the failure to establish a new generation in a single year could otherwise lead to population collapse.1

Ultimately, these patterns reflect the ecological constraints a species faces in establishing subsequent generations, with dormancy acting as a vital mechanism for maintaining long-term population stability.1