Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tongyang Wang, Qinglin Guo, Qiangqiang Pei, Wenwu Chen, Yanwu Wang, Bo Zhang, Jing Yu
Summary: This study explores the soil consolidation characteristics of biological soil crusts (BSCs) on the shallow surfaces of earthen sites through laboratory experiments. The results show that moss rhizoids can improve the shear strength of the surface soil, and the surface roughness of the rhizoids affects their anchorage characteristics. Furthermore, the necessity of constructing a heterogeneous research model highlighting specific environmental factors, plants, and earthen sites is emphasized.
Article
Soil Science
Chao Guan, Ning Chen, Linjie Qiao, Changming Zhao
Summary: Biological soil crusts play a key role in the carbon cycle of drylands, but our understanding of their direct and indirect effects on soil respiration is limited. This study found that although biological crusts had an overall positive effect on soil respiration, there were also contrasting effects. Additionally, biological crusts decreased the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Gaetano Guida, Alessio Nicosia, Luca Settanni, Vito Ferro
Summary: This paper analyzes the current knowledge about Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs) by reviewing 163 papers published from 1990 to 2023. It provides a summary of the main detection methods for BSCs and discusses their influence on soil characteristics, hydrology, and erosion processes. The results show conflicting findings regarding the effects of BSCs on soil hydrology, while their positive effects on soil characteristics and resistance to soil erosion are widely recognized.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yu Liu, Caroline A. Havrilla, Chao Jia, Xiao-Zhen Liu, Gao-Lin Wu
Summary: The study found that microbial communities associated with litter crusts primarily enhance soil nutrient availability through bacteria rather than fungi, highlighting the potential ecological functioning of litter crusts in governing soil nutrient dynamics.
Article
Ecology
S. Rinehart, N. D. Shamir Weller, D. Hawlena
Summary: Biological soil crusts are communities of microorganisms that regulate key ecosystem processes in drylands, and animal interactions with biocrusts can have important consequences for biocrust carbon dynamics. However, research on animal regulation of biocrust function is limited, and further investigation is needed to understand the effects of animal-derived nutrients on biocrusts.
Article
Soil Science
Gianmarco Mugnai, Milda Stuknyte, Stefania Arioli, Giorgio Gargari, Alessandra Adessi, Diego Mora
Summary: A novel method was developed for extracting and characterizing virus-like particles from biological soil crust after microbial community reactivation. The study found that hydrated BSC under light/dark conditions had the highest number of viable cells, which was optimal for VLP isolation. Viral predation was identified as a key factor in shaping and maintaining bacterial diversity in BSCs.
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Andrea Barrera, Ian S. Acuna-Rodriguez, Gabriel I. Ballesteros, Cristian Atala, Marco A. Molina-Montenegro
Summary: This study described the bacterial composition of Biological Soil Crusts (BSC) found in Maritime Antarctica and revealed their positive effects on soil moisture, nutrient levels, enzymatic activity, and the growth and performance of Colobanthus quitensis. The results suggest that BSCs play a crucial role in soil development and act as ecosystem engineers in the terrestrial Antarctic ecosystem.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Atheer A. Abbood, Abdul-Sahib T. Al-Madhhachi
Summary: This study reveals that with increasing curing times, the value of b(0) for crusted soils decreased by up to 60%, reaching optimal values at 2 weeks. There was no consistent pattern observed for b(1) at different curing times. Additionally, as the concentration of HA increased, the value of b(0) decreased significantly by 86% and 99% for crusted and uncrusted soils respectively. Furthermore, HA improved soil characteristics such as electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, and organic matter, thereby reducing soil erodibility.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qing Mao, Xi Xie, Diego A. Pinzon-Nunez, Zuoming Xie, Taikun Liu, Sana Irshad
Summary: This study investigates the use of biological soil crusts (BSCs) for immobilization of metal(loid)s in mining areas. The co-inoculation of Leptolyngbya sp. XZMQ and Bacillus XZM successfully formed BSCs, which increased soil pH and water content, while decreasing soil EC and density. The presence of these BSCs enhanced the activities of soil enzymes and immobilized As through the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The findings suggest a new method for the remediation of As-contaminated soil in mining areas.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Wanting Li, Qinghua Liu, Lulu Xie, Chunying Yin
Summary: Mixed forests improve biomass productivity and soil quality compared with monospecific stands. The mechanisms by which mixed stands improve tree growth and soil nutrient availability are still unclear. This study shows that mixed forests increase soil bacterial and fungal diversity, network stability, and abundance of keystone taxa, leading to improved soil nutrient availability.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Clayton J. Nevins, Patrick W. Inglett, Sarah L. Strauss
Summary: Biocrusts in a Florida citrus orchard significantly impacted microbial community composition, potentially influencing nutrient cycling, crop nutrient uptake and growth, and soil health.
Article
Soil Science
Alberto Agnelli, Giuseppe Corti, Luisa Massaccesi, Stefano Ventura, Luigi P. D'Acqui
Summary: The study showed that biological soil crusts, when able to develop on stable ice-free surfaces, can modify soil structure, increase organic matter content and nutrient supply, thereby promoting soil formation and stability in polar ecosystems.
Article
Microbiology
Qian Chen, Ni Yan, Kangning Xiong, Jiawei Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the diversity of cyanobacterial communities and soil properties in three karst desertification areas in the Guizhou Plateau. The results showed that the number of cyanobacterial species increased with the intensity of karst desertification, and soil nutrient content played an important role in regulating the cyanobacterial diversity and composition.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Vanessa M. C. Fernandes, Jennifer A. Rudgers, Scott L. Collins, Ferran Garcia-Pichel
Summary: Future climate changes will affect the frequency and size of rainfall events in drylands, leading to potential impacts on soil microbial communities. A study on altered rainfall patterns over 12 years found that increased small rain events promoted microbial diversity and biomass, while large rain events did not consistently have the same effect.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alexandra Maria Kratz, Stefanie Maier, Jens Weber, Minsu Kim, Giacomo Mele, Laura Gargiulo, Anna Lena Leifke, Maria Prass, Raeid M. M. Abed, Yafang Cheng, Hang Su, Ulrich Poeschl, Bettina Weber
Summary: Biocrusts in drylands play a crucial role in biological nitrogen fixation and release of gaseous reactive nitrogen. This study reveals the simultaneous occurrence of aerobic and anaerobic nitrogen transformations in small-scale gradients within biocrusts. These processes are critical for nitrogen emissions and may be influenced by future global change and land management.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)