Effects of biological soil crusts on some physicochemical characteristics of rangeland soils of Alagol, Turkmen Sahra, NE Iran

Salinity, water scarcity in the summer season, and grazing pressure are major problems in semi-arid ecosystems in the south-east region of the Caspian Sea where the Alagol rangelands of Turkmen Sahra (Golestan province) of North East Iran suffer from over-grazing and soil loss. This study investigated the influence of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) on soil physicochemical properties. Biocrusts create complex communities of specialized organisms composed of cyanobacteria, algae, microfungi, lichens, mosses and other microorganisms. Results have shown that bioencrusted soils increased levels of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, copper, and iron, and reduced pH, calcium carbonate, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sodium adsorption ratio and exchangeable sodium percentages compared to soils without biocrusts. Other positive influences of biocrusts on soil properties included increased infiltration (0.16 v. 0.081 cm min(-1) for steady state rates), available water content, mean weight diameter of soil aggregates, geometric mean diameter and water stable aggregates. Bulk density was reduced under bioencrusted soils relative to non-biocrusts soils. In general, biocrusts had a positive effect on many soil properties and thus enhanced soil quality.