Review
Microbiology
Ferran Garcia-Pichel
Summary: Biological soil crusts are communities that develop on soil surfaces and are powered by photosynthetic primary producers other than higher plants. They have been studied extensively in arid land environments, but are also found in other settings with limited plant development. Research has revealed their microbial communities, composition, ecological extent, and biogeochemical roles, as well as their impact on soil behavior and their importance in understanding early life on land. This knowledge has opened up new possibilities for ecological restoration and agriculture.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
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
Plant Sciences
Isaac Kedem, Haim Treves, Gabriella Noble, Martin Hagemann, Omer Murik, Hagai Raanan, Nadav Oren, Mario Giordano, Aaron Kaplan
Summary: The green alga Chlorella sp. requires the presence of the filamentous cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. or its components to survive desiccation in the field, suggesting a mutualistic relationship where Leptolyngbya sp. enables the survival of Chlorella sp. while inhibiting its growth.
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
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)
Review
Microbiology
Hai-Feng Xu, Hagai Raanan, Guo-Zheng Dai, Nadav Oren, Simon Berkowicz, Omer Murik, Aaron Kaplan, Bao-Sheng Qiu
Summary: Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are mainly found in arid and semi-arid areas, covering about 12% of the Earth's surface and playing an important role in combating desertification. Cyanobacteria, pioneers and primary producers in BSCs, have evolved multiple adaptation strategies to enhance their stress tolerance.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(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
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
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)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ting Xie, Wanli Shi, Haotian Yang, Jie Lian, Xiaojun Li
Summary: This study investigates the soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization rates of biological soil crusts (BSCs) in the revegetated sites of Tengger Desert. The results show that the SOC mineralization rate of BSCs and subsoils is significantly higher than that of the mobile sand dune (MSD), and it increases with site age. Various factors such as vegetation characteristics, soil properties, temperature, and soil water content affect the SOC mineralization process.