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Liu L, Zhang Y, Guo L, Cao H, Dai Z, Zhao Z, Guo Y, Li D, Zheng L, Li T. Experimental test and mechanism analysis of soil crust erosion resistance of rammed earth Great Wall in rainy season. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9069. [PMID: 38643235 PMCID: PMC11032390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59706-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Rammed earth is a kind of cleaning material, widely used in all kinds of buildings in the world. The Great Wall of ancient China is a typical world cultural site built from rammed earth. The rammed earth Great Wall of Shanhaiguan is close to Bohai Bay, which has suffered from long-term erosion by rain, causing a series of problems such as soil loss, collapse and gully flushing. The protection materials of the rammed earth site have always puzzled scholars. However, during the rainy season, it was found that some of the walls at Xiaowan Gouge and Nantuzhuang Gouge in the Shanhaiguan Great Wall had unwashed traces, the soil surface of the walls was intact, and the anti-erosion ability of the walls was significantly higher than that of other places. In order to explore the reasons for its strong anti-erosion ability in the natural state of rammed earth wall, guide the protection of rammed earth Great Wall, and carry out different experimental tests to explore its anti-erosion reasons and internal mechanisms. Firstly, the characteristics of rammed soil were understood through the composition test of rammed soil, and the indoor and outdoor erosion test was carried out to determine that the anti-erosion reason was the protection of gray-green soil crust. The property and composition of soil crust were determined through the immersion test and genome sequencing. Finally, the protection mechanism of soil crust was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Liu
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- The Eighth Geological Brigade, Hebei Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Exploration, Qinhuangdao, 066001, China.
| | - Yun Zhang
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Lianjun Guo
- The Eighth Geological Brigade, Hebei Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Exploration, Qinhuangdao, 066001, China.
| | - Haiying Cao
- School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, China.
| | - Zhenwei Dai
- Wuhan Center, China Geological Survey (Central South China Innovation Center for Geosciences), Wuhan, 430205, China.
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- Cultural Tourism Bureau, Shanhaiguan, Qinhuangdao, 066200, China
| | - Ying Guo
- Cultural Tourism Bureau, Shanhaiguan, Qinhuangdao, 066200, China
| | - Dongdong Li
- Hebei Jianyan Architectural Design Co. Ltd., Shijiazhuang, 050000, China.
| | - Lingling Zheng
- National Aquatic Biological Resource Center, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Tianli Li
- National Aquatic Biological Resource Center, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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Yadav P, Singh RP, Hashem A, Abd_Allah EF, Santoyo G, Kumar A, Gupta RK. Enhancing Biocrust Development and Plant Growth through Inoculation of Desiccation-Tolerant Cyanobacteria in Different Textured Soils. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2507. [PMID: 37894165 PMCID: PMC10609203 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the utilization of cyanobacteria for the purpose of land rehabilitation via enhancements in soil fertility, prevent erosion, and counter desertification. This study evaluated the ability of Nostoc calcicola BOT1, Scytonema sp. BOT2, and their consortia to form biocrusts on the substrate of coarse sand, fine sand, and loamy soil. A nutrient- and water-deficient substrate was inoculated with cyanobacteria to facilitate biocrust formation and evaluate their impact on agriculture. Cyanobacteria inoculation resulted in significant improvements in soil fertility, especially in coarse and fine sand, which initially had the lowest fertility. The findings of this investigation underscore that the consortium of cyanobacteria exhibited greater efficacy than individual strains in enhancing soil fertility and stimulating plant growth. The loamy soil treated with the consortium had the highest plant growth across all soil types, in contrast to the individual strains. The consortium of cyanobacteria showed promising results in promoting biocrust formation and fostering rice seedling growth in fine sand. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the potential utility of cyanobacterial consortia as a valuable tool for the rehabilitation of degraded land. Furthermore, the results indicate that cyanobacterial species can persist in soil environments even following prolonged periods of desiccation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Yadav
- Laboratory of Algal Research, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India; (P.Y.); (R.P.S.)
| | - Rahul Prasad Singh
- Laboratory of Algal Research, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India; (P.Y.); (R.P.S.)
| | - Abeer Hashem
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.H.)
| | - Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah
- Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (E.F.A.)
| | - Gustavo Santoyo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químico Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia 58030, Mexico; (G.S.)
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida 201313, India
| | - Rajan Kumar Gupta
- Laboratory of Algal Research, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India; (P.Y.); (R.P.S.)
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Abstract
Biological soil crusts are thin, inconspicuous communities along the soil atmosphere ecotone that, until recently, were unrecognized by ecologists and even more so by microbiologists. In its broadest meaning, the term biological soil crust (or biocrust) encompasses a variety of communities that develop on soil surfaces and are powered by photosynthetic primary producers other than higher plants: cyanobacteria, microalgae, and cryptogams like lichens and mosses. Arid land biocrusts are the most studied, but biocrusts also exist in other settings where plant development is constrained. The minimal requirement is that light impinge directly on the soil; this is impeded by the accumulation of plant litter where plants abound. Since scientists started paying attention, much has been learned about their microbial communities, their composition, ecological extent, and biogeochemical roles, about how they alter the physical behavior of soils, and even how they inform an understanding of early life on land. This has opened new avenues for ecological restoration and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Garcia-Pichel
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics and School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA;
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Baldauf S, Cantón Y, Tietjen B. Biocrusts intensify water redistribution and improve water availability to dryland vegetation: insights from a spatially-explicit ecohydrological model. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1179291. [PMID: 37448577 PMCID: PMC10337590 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1179291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Biocrusts are ecosystem engineers in drylands and structure the landscape through their ecohydrological effects. They regulate soil infiltration and evaporation but also surface water redistribution, providing important resources for vascular vegetation. Spatially-explicit ecohydrological models are useful tools to explore such ecohydrological mechanisms, but biocrusts have rarely been included in them. We contribute to closing this gap and assess how biocrusts shape spatio-temporal water fluxes and availability in a dryland landscape and how landscape hydrology is affected by climate-change induced shifts in the biocrust community. We extended the spatially-explicit, process-based ecohydrological dryland model EcoHyD by a biocrust layer which modifies water in- and outputs from the soil and affects surface runoff. The model was parameterized for a dryland hillslope in South-East Spain using field and literature data. We assessed the effect of biocrusts on landscape-scale soil moisture distribution, plant-available water and the hydrological processes behind it. To quantify the biocrust effects, we ran the model with and without biocrusts for a wet and dry year. Finally, we compared the effect of incipient and well-developed cyanobacteria- and lichen biocrusts on surface hydrology to evaluate possible paths forward if biocrust communities change due to climate change. Our model reproduced the runoff source-sink patterns typical of the landscape. The spatial differentiation of soil moisture in deeper layers matched the observed distribution of vascular vegetation. Biocrusts in the model led to higher water availability overall and in vegetated areas of the landscape and that this positive effect in part also held for a dry year. Compared to bare soil and incipient biocrusts, well-developed biocrusts protected the soil from evaporation thus preserving soil moisture despite lower infiltration while at the same time redistributing water toward downhill vegetation. Biocrust cover is vital for water redistribution and plant-available water but potential changes of biocrust composition and cover can reduce their ability of being a water source and sustaining dryland vegetation. The process-based model used in this study is a promising tool to further quantify and assess long-term scenarios of climate change and how it affects ecohydrological feedbacks that shape and stabilize dryland landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina Baldauf
- Institute of Biology, Theoretical Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yolanda Cantón
- Department of Agronomy, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- Research Centre for Scientific Collections from the University of Almería (CECOUAL), Almería, Spain
| | - Britta Tietjen
- Institute of Biology, Theoretical Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Rubio C, Lázaro R. Patterns in biocrust recovery over time in semiarid southeast Spain. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1184065. [PMID: 37396363 PMCID: PMC10309646 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1184065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are communities of microorganisms, fungi, algae, lichens and mosses inhabiting on the soil surface and within the uppermost soil millimetres. They play an important ecological role in drylands, determining physical and chemical soil properties and reducing soil erosion. Studies on biocrust natural recovery establish highly variable recovery times. The different objectives and methodologies of experimentation and analysis, strongly influence these predictions. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the recovery dynamics of four biocrust communities and their relationship with microclimatic variables. In 2004, in Tabernas Desert, some of us removed the biocrust in central 30 cm × 30 cm area of three 50 cm × 50 cm plots in each of four biocrust communities (Cyanobacteria, Squamarina, Diploschistes, and Lepraria), installing a microclimatic station in each one with sensors for temperature and humidity of the soil and air, dew point, PAR and rain. Yearly, the 50 cm × 50 cm plots were photographed, and the cover of every species was monitored in every 5 cm × 5 cm cell of a 36-cells grid covering the removed central area. We analyzed different functions to fit the cover recovery, the differences in cover recovery speed between communities, the recovery dynamics from the spatial analysis of the plot, the changes in dissimilarity and biodiversity and the possible relationships with the climatic variables. The recovery of the biocrust cover fits to a sigmoidal function. The community dominated by Cyanobacteria developed faster than those dominated by lichens. The Squamarina and Diploschistes communities recovered faster than that of Lepraria and appears to be influenced by the surrounding undisturbed areas. Species-based dissimilarity between consecutive inventories fluctuated and decreased over time, while biodiversity increases in a similar way. The speed of recovery of the biocrust in each community, along with the order in which the species appeared, support the hypothesis about the succession, which would include three phases: firstly Cyanobacteria, then Diploschistes and/or Squamarina and finally Lepraria. The relationship between biocrust recovery and microclimate is complex and this work highlights the need to carry out further research on this topic and on biocrust dynamics in general.
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Lázaro R, Gascón C, Rubio C. Runoff and soil loss in biocrusts and physical crusts from the Tabernas Desert (southeast Spain) according to rainfall intensity. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1171096. [PMID: 37293214 PMCID: PMC10246740 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1171096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) influence hydrological and erosive processes in drylands, and their effects increase with hypothetic successional development. Runoff and raindrops, both dependent on rain intensity, are among the main causes of erosion in these areas. However, little is known about the existence of soil loss nonlinearity in relation to rain intensity and crust types; this nonlinearity could control biocrust succession and dynamics. The assumption of biocrust types as successional stages, which allow space-for-time sampling, makes it advisable to include all the successional stages when exploring possible nonlinearity. We considered seven types of crusts, three physical and four biological. We created four rainfall intensity levels in controlled laboratory conditions: 18, 60, 120, and 240 mm/h. In all but the last, we conducted the experiments at two levels of antecedent soil moisture. Generalized Lineal Models enabled us to test for differences. These analyses confirmed previous knowledge regarding the significant effect of rainfall intensity, crust type and antecedent soil moisture and their interactions on runoff and soil loss, despite the small sample size of the sample units. For example, runoff, and particularly soil loss, decreased along succession. Moreover, some results were novel: the runoff coefficient increased only up to 120 mm/h of rain intensity. A decoupling between runoff and soil loss occurred at high intensities. Soil loss increased as rainfall intensity increased only up to 60 mm/h, and then it decreased, mainly due to physical crusts, because of the formation of a water sheet on the surface due to the incoming rainwater exceeding the drainage capacity. Although soil loss was greater in the incipient cyanobacteria than in the most developed lichen biocrust (Lepraria community), the protection provided by any biocrust against soil loss was great compared to the physical crust, and almost as strong at all rain intensities. Soil loss increased with antecedent soil moisture only in physical crusts. Biocrusts resisted the rain splash even at a rainfall intensity of 240 mm/h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Lázaro
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | | | - Consuelo Rubio
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), Almería, Spain
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Ruiz L, Carrión-Paladines V, Vega M, López F, Benítez Á. Biological Crust Diversity Related to Elevation and Soil Properties at Local Scale in a Montane Scrub of Ecuador. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9030386. [PMID: 36983554 PMCID: PMC10058557 DOI: 10.3390/jof9030386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The montane shrublands of southern Ecuador represent one of the least studied ecosystems, which in the last decade have been seriously threatened by increasing wildfires, deforestation, overgrazing, and conversion to forest plantations. Our main objective was to determine, at the local scale, the diversity of species composing the biological soil crust (BSC) at three elevations (2100, 2300, and 2500 m.a.s.l.) and their possible relationships with soil physical and chemical properties in montane shrublands. For this purpose, three monitoring plots of 100 m2 were established at each elevation, and within each plot, 20 subplots were established (180 subplots sampled in total). In addition, composite soil samples were collected at a depth of 0 to 10 cm, and some physical and biochemical parameters (e.g., bulk density, texture, pH, organic matter, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and potassium) of the soil were analyzed. The results show 35 species (23 lichens, 10 bryophytes and 2 cyanobacteria) at three elevations with a bell-shaped or hump-shaped distribution pattern. This allowed us to point out that the species richness was higher at the intermediate elevations and that the composition showed significant differences in the three elevations related to soil factors. Elevation and soil drivers may help to better chose the more suitable biological soil crust (lichen-dominated and bryophyte-dominated BSC) for the management and conservation of the montane scrub of Ecuador, which is strongly threatened by human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslye Ruiz
- Carrera de Biología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
| | - Vinicio Carrión-Paladines
- Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
| | - Marlon Vega
- Carrera de Biología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
| | - Fausto López
- Carrera de Biología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
| | - Ángel Benítez
- Carrera de Biología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
- Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
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Szyja M, Felde VJMNL, Lückel S, Tabarelli M, Leal IR, Büdel B, Wirth R. Biological soil crusts decrease infiltration but increase erosion resistance in a human-disturbed tropical dry forest. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1136322. [PMID: 37152745 PMCID: PMC10157249 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1136322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Under continuous human disturbance, regeneration is the basis for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem service provision. In tropical dry forests, edaphic ecosystem engineering by biological soil crusts (biocrusts) could impact regeneration by influencing erosion control and soil water and nutrient fluxes, which impact landscape hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effect of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on water infiltration and aggregate stability in a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (NE Brazil), a system characterized by high levels of forest degradation and increasing aridity. By trapping dust and swelling of cyanobacterial filaments, biocrusts can seal soil surfaces and slow down infiltration, which potentially induces erosion. To quantify hydraulic properties and erosion control, we used minidisc-infiltrometry, raindrop-simulation, and wet sieving at two sites with contrasting disturbance levels: an active cashew plantation and an abandoned field experiencing forest regeneration, both characterized by sandy soils. Under disturbance, biocrusts had a stronger negative impact on infiltration (reduction by 42% vs. 37% during regeneration), although biocrusts under regenerating conditions had the lowest absolute sorptivity (0.042 ± 0.02 cm s-1/2) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0.0015 ± 0.0008 cm s-1), with a doubled water repellency. Biocrusts provided high soil aggregate stability although stability increased considerably with progression of biocrust succession (raindrop simulation disturbed: 0.19 ± 0.22 J vs. regenerating: 0.54 ± 0.22 J). The formation of stable aggregates by early successional biocrusts on sandy soils suggests protection of dry forest soils even on the worst land use/soil degradation scenario with a high soil erosion risk. Our results confirm that biocrusts covering bare interspaces between vascular plants in human-modified landscapes play an important role in surface water availability and erosion control. Biocrusts have the potential to reduce land degradation, but their associated ecosystem services like erosion protection, can be impaired by disturbance. Considering an average biocrust coverage of 8.1% of the Caatinga landscapes, further research should aim to quantify the contribution of biocrusts to forest recovery to fully understand the role they play in the functioning of this poorly explored ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Szyja
- Molecular Botany (Plant Ecology Group), University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Vincent J. M. N. L. Felde
- Institute of Soil Science, Leibniz University Hannover, Hanover, Germany
- *Correspondence: Vincent J. M. N. L. Felde,
| | - Sara Lückel
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, Kassel University, Witzenhausen, Germany
| | - Marcelo Tabarelli
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Inara R. Leal
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Molecular Botany (Plant Ecology Group), University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Rainer Wirth
- Molecular Botany (Plant Ecology Group), University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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Successional Development of the Phototrophic Community in Biological Soil Crusts on Coastal and Inland Dunes. BIOLOGY 2022; 12:biology12010058. [PMID: 36671750 PMCID: PMC9856012 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
(1) Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are microecosystems consisting of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms growing on the topsoil. This study aims to characterize changes in the community structure of biocrust phototrophic organisms along a dune chronosequence in the Baltic Sea compared to an inland dune in northern Germany. (2) A vegetation survey followed by species determination and sediment analyses were conducted. (3) The results highlight a varying phototrophic community composition within the biocrusts regarding the different successional stages of the dunes. At both study sites, a shift from algae-dominated to lichen- and moss-dominated biocrusts in later successional dune types was observed. The algae community of both study sites shared 50% of the identified species while the moss and lichen community shared less than 15%. This indicates a more generalized occurrence of the algal taxa along both chronosequences. The mosses and lichens showed a habitat-specific species community. Moreover, an increase in the organic matter and moisture content with advanced biocrust development was detected. The enrichment of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the different biocrust types showed a similar relationship. (4) This relation can be explained by biomass growth and potential nutrient mobilization by the microorganisms. Hence, the observed biocrust development potentially enhanced soil formation and contributed to nutrient accumulation.
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Gutierrez MM, Cameron-Harp MV, Chakraborty PP, Stallbaumer-Cyr EM, Morrow JA, Hansen RR, Derby MM. Investigating a microbial approach to water conservation: Effects of Bacillus subtilis and Surfactin on evaporation dynamics in loam and sandy loam soils. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.959591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Semi-arid regions faced with increasingly scarce freshwater resources must manage competing demands in the food-energy-water nexus. A possible solution modifies soil hydrologic properties using biosurfactants to reduce evaporation and improve water retention. In this study, two different soil textures representative of agricultural soils in Kansas were treated with a direct application of the biosurfactant, Surfactin, and an indirect application via inoculation of Bacillus subtilis. Evaporation rates of the wetted soils were measured when exposed to artificial sunlight (1000 W/m2) and compared to non-treated control soils. Experimental results indicate that both treatments alter soil moisture dynamics by increasing evaporation rates by when soil moisture is plentiful (i.e., constant rate period) and decreasing evaporation rates by when moisture is scarce (i.e., slower rate period). Furthermore, both treatments significantly reduced the soil moisture content at which the soil transitioned from constant rate to slower rate evaporation. Out of the two treatments, inoculation with B. subtilis generally produced greater changes in evaporation dynamics; for example, the treatment with B. subtilis in sandy loam soils increased constant rate periods of evaporation by 43% and decreased slower rate evaporation by 49%. In comparing the two soil textures, the sandy loam soil exhibited a larger treatment effect than the loam soil. To evaluate the potential significance of the treatment effects, a System Dynamics Model operationalized the evaporation rate results and simulated soil moisture dynamics under typical daily precipitation conditions. The results from this model indicate both treatment methods significantly altered soil moisture dynamics in the sandy loam soils and increased the probability of the soil exhibiting constant rate evaporation relative to the control soils. Overall, these findings suggest that the decrease in soil moisture threshold observed in the experimental setting could increase soil moisture availability by prolonging the constant rate stage of evaporation. As inoculation with B. subtilis in the sandy loam soil had the most pronounced effects in both the experimental and simulated contexts, future work should focus on testing this treatment in field trials with similar soil textures.
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Study on the Characteristics of Soil Erosion in the Black Soil Area of Northeast China under Natural Rainfall Conditions: The Case of Sunjiagou Small Watershed. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14148284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In the black soil area, where soil erosion is severe and the soil is in urgent need of ecological restoration, providing reasonable and practical measures to prevent soil erosion and restore the soil is an urgent issue at present. In this study, nine runoff plots were deployed in Bin County, the core area of soil erosion control, to monitor runoff and soil loss long-term, simulated by the erosion potential method (EPM) for comparison. Studies have shown that soil erosion is strongly influenced by soil conservation measures, land use, and vegetation cover. In contrast, slope, pre-soil moisture content, and soil crusting due to rainfall can affect erosion in a single rainfall event. The most severe soil erosion was in bare land, up to 1093.58 t km−2 a−1, followed by longitudinal ridge tillage land (751.88 t km−2 a−1) and cross ridge tillage land (31.58 t km−2 a−1). The shrublands and mixed forests planted for ecological restoration experienced almost no erosion. The soil loss rate of the cross ridge tillage and ecological restoration plots was much lower than the allowable soil loss rate (200 t km−2 a−1). Under erosive storms, longitudinal ridge tillage can produce soil loss rates that far exceed those of bare ground. The change from longitudinal ridge tillage to cross ridge tillage on gentle slopes can effectively prevent soil erosion in the study area. The vegetation restoration measures of planting shrubs such as Amorpha fruticosa Linn. are incredibly effective in the ecological restoration of wastelands in black soil areas. For the black soil area after the retreat, the vertical structure of vegetation can be improved by planting shrubs at the bottom, thus achieving a good restoration effect.
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Spatial cover and carbon fluxes of urbanized Sonoran Desert biological soil crusts. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5794. [PMID: 35388083 PMCID: PMC8987056 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09769-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (BSC) are important contributors to nutrient cycling in arid environments such as the Sonoran Desert. BSC at an urban (University Indian Ruins) and at a non-urban site (Santa Rita Experimental Range) were compared to determine if their structure or function was influenced by proximity to an urban environment. The Step Point method was used in the field to determine ground cover; which was found to be similar between sites. However, the spatial distribution of the BSCs was significantly different, such that more BSCs were found under plants at the non-urban site (P < 0.05). Relative gross photosynthesis was measured in the lab by addition of a watering event. Gross photosynthesis was found to be higher in the non-urban BSCs (P < 0.001), indicating lowered productivity in urban BSCs due to effects caused by proximity to urban environments. This study provides evidence that BSCs at urbanized sites are affected functionally, and therefore may be contributing differently to carbon and nitrogen cycling in these ecosystems.
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Maggioli L, Rodríguez-Caballero E, Cantón Y, Rodríguez-Lozano B, Chamizo S. Design Optimization of Biocrust-Plant Spatial Configuration for Dry Ecosystem Restoration Using Water Redistribution and Erosion Models. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.765148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Land degradation is one of the main threats to dryland sustainability in the next decades, hence restoration of the degraded land from drylands is an urgent need to maintain ecosystem functionality and their ability to provide ecosystem services. To achieve this goal, restoration practices should pursue the recovery of the main ground components, arranged in an optimal spatial configuration, to mimic undisturbed natural conditions. Drylands function as complex ecohydrologically coupled systems in which interplant source areas, frequently covered by biocrusts, act as sources of runoff and nutrients to adjacent vegetation, which act as sinks for these resources. Thus, one way to increase dryland restoration success is through an optimal spatial configuration of biocrusts and plants that maximizes an efficient use of the limited resources within the system. In this study, we selected a degraded slope from a limestone quarry located in Almería province (SE Spain) and modeled how active restoration of the biocrust through soil inoculation with cyanobacteria and its combination with different spatial configurations of vegetation affected runoff redistribution and erosion. For that, we applied the spatially distributed Limburg Soil Erosion Model (LISEM) which was able to predict the erosion measured on the slope during the study period with low error (RMSE = 17.8%). Modeling results showed that the introduction of vegetation on the degraded slope reduced runoff between 2 and 24% and erosion between 4 and 17% for the scenario with plants compared to the one without restoration management. Of all the vegetation spatial configurations tested, the one that provided better results was the scenario in which plants were located in the areas of higher water accumulation (higher topographic wetness index). Moreover, we found that active biocrust restoration by cyanobacteria inoculation significantly reduced erosion by 70–90%, especially during the first stages of plant development, while maintaining water supply to vegetation. These findings highlight the potential of water redistribution and erosion simulation models to identify the most optimal spatial configuration of ground covers that maximizes water and nutrient supply to vegetation, while minimizes water, sediment, and nutrient losses by erosion, thus serving as an efficient tool to plan restoration actions in drylands.
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Sánchez AM, Peralta AML, Luzuriaga AL, Prieto M, Escudero A. Climate change and biocrust disturbance synergistically decreased taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity in annual communities on gypsiferous soils. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. Sánchez
- Area of Biodiversity and Conservation, Rey Juan Carlos Univ. Madrid Spain
| | - Ana M. L. Peralta
- Area of Biodiversity and Conservation, Rey Juan Carlos Univ. Madrid Spain
| | | | - María Prieto
- Area of Biodiversity and Conservation, Rey Juan Carlos Univ. Madrid Spain
| | - Adrián Escudero
- Area of Biodiversity and Conservation, Rey Juan Carlos Univ. Madrid Spain
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15
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Biocrust microbiomes influence ecosystem structure and function in the Mu Us Sandland, northwest China. ECOL INFORM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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16
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Blanco‐Sacristán J, Panigada C, Gentili R, Tagliabue G, Garzonio R, Martín MP, Ladrón de Guevara M, Colombo R, Dowling TPF, Rossini M. UAV RGB, thermal infrared and multispectral imagery used to investigate the control of terrain on the spatial distribution of dryland biocrust. EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS 2021; 46:2466-2484. [PMID: 34690397 PMCID: PMC8518773 DOI: 10.1002/esp.5189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biocrusts (topsoil communities formed by mosses, lichens, bacteria, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria) are a key biotic component of dryland ecosystems. Whilst climate patterns control the distribution of biocrusts in drylands worldwide, terrain and soil attributes can influence biocrust distribution at landscape scale. Multi-source unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery was used to map and study biocrust ecology in a typical dryland ecosystem in central Spain. Red, green and blue (RGB) imagery was processed using structure-from-motion techniques to map terrain attributes related to microclimate and terrain stability. Multispectral imagery was used to produce accurate maps (accuracy > 80%) of dryland ecosystem components (vegetation, bare soil and biocrust composition). Finally, thermal infrared (TIR) and multispectral imagery was used to calculate the apparent thermal inertia (ATI) of soil and to evaluate how ATI was related to soil moisture (r 2 = 0.83). The relationship between soil properties and UAV-derived variables was first evaluated at the field plot level. Then, the maps obtained were used to explore the relationship between biocrusts and terrain attributes at ecosystem level through a redundancy analysis. The most significant variables that explain biocrust distribution are: ATI (34.4% of variance, F = 130.75; p < 0.001), Elevation (25.8%, F = 97.6; p < 0.001), and potential solar incoming radiation (PSIR) (52.9%, F = 200.1; p < 0.001). Differences were found between areas dominated by lichens and mosses. Lichen-dominated biocrusts were associated with areas with high slopes and low values of ATI, with soil characterized by a higher amount of soluble salts, and lower amount of organic carbon, total phosphorus (Ptot) and total nitrogen (Ntot). Biocrust-forming mosses dominated lower and moister areas, characterized by gentler slopes and higher values of ATI with soils with higher contents of organic carbon, Ptot and Ntot. This study shows the potential to use UAVs to improve our understanding of drylands and to evaluate the control that the terrain has on biocrust distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cinzia Panigada
- Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics LabUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Rodolfo Gentili
- Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics LabUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Giulia Tagliabue
- Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics LabUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Roberto Garzonio
- Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics LabUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - M. Pilar Martín
- Environmental remote sensing and spectroscopy laboratory (SpecLab)Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Mónica Ladrón de Guevara
- Universidad Rey Juan CarlosMóstolesSpain
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications, CREAF‐CSIC‐UABBarcelonaSpain
| | - Roberto Colombo
- Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics LabUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Thomas P. F. Dowling
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring CentreCambridgeUK
| | - Micol Rossini
- Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics LabUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
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17
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Microalgae, soil and plants: A critical review of microalgae as renewable resources for agriculture. ALGAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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18
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Stricker E, Crain G, Rudgers J, Sinsabaugh R, Fernandes V, Nelson C, Giraldo-Silva A, Garcia-Pichel F, Belnap J, Darrouzet-Nardi A. What Could Explain δ 13C Signatures in Biocrust Cyanobacteria of Drylands? MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:134-145. [PMID: 32621211 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01536-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dryland ecosystems are increasing in geographic extent and contribute greatly to interannual variability in global carbon dynamics. Disentangling interactions among dominant primary producers, including plants and autotrophic microbes, can help partition their contributions to dryland C dynamics. We measured the δ13C signatures of biological soil crust cyanobacteria and dominant plant species (C3 and C4) across a regional scale in the southwestern USA to determine if biocrust cyanobacteria were coupled to plant productivity (using plant-derived C mixotrophically), or independent of plant activity (and therefore purely autotrophic). Cyanobacterial assemblages located next to all C3 plants and one C4 species had consistently more negative δ13C (by 2‰) than the cyanobacteria collected from plant interspaces or adjacent to two C4 Bouteloua grass species. The differences among cyanobacterial assemblages in δ13C could not be explained by cyanobacterial community composition, photosynthetic capacity, or any measured leaf or root characteristics (all slopes not different from zero). Thus, microsite differences in abiotic conditions near plants, rather than biotic interactions, remain a likely mechanism underlying the observed δ13C patterns to be tested experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Stricker
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
| | - Grace Crain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Jenn Rudgers
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Robert Sinsabaugh
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Vanessa Fernandes
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Corey Nelson
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Ana Giraldo-Silva
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | | | - Jayne Belnap
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
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Using LANDSAT 8 and VENµS Data to Study the Effect of Geodiversity on Soil Moisture Dynamics in a Semiarid Shrubland. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12203377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Soil moisture content (SMC) is a limiting factor to ecosystem productivity in semiarid shrublands. Long-term droughts due to climatic changes may increase the water stress imposed on these lands. Recent observations demonstrate positive relations between geodiversity—expressed by the degree of soil stoniness—and SMC in the upper soil layers. This suggests that areas of high geodiversity can potentially provide a haven for plant survival under water scarcity conditions. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of geodiversity on the dynamics of SMC in semiarid environments, which so far has not been fully investigated. The optical trapezoid model (OPTRAM) applied to six-year time series data (November 2013–July 2018), obtained from LANDSAT 8 and highly correlated with field measurements (R2 = 0.96), shows here that the SMC in hillslopes with high geodiversity is consistently greater than that in hillslopes with low geodiversity. During winter periods (December–March), the difference between the two hillslope types was ~7%, while during summer periods (June–September) it reduced to ~4%. By using the high-resolution spectral-spatiotemporal VENµS data, we further studied the geodiversity mechanism during summertime, and at a smaller spatial scale. The VENµS-based Crop Water Content Index (CWCI) was compared with the OPTRAM measurements (R2 = 0.71). The Augmented Dickey–Fuller test showed that water loss in the high-geodiversity areas during summers was very small (p-value > 0.1). Furthermore, the biocrust index based on the VENµS data showed that biological crust activity in the high-geodiversity hillslopes during summers is high and almost stationary (ADF p-value > 0.1). We suggest that the mechanism responsible for the high SMC in the high-geodiversity areas may be related to lower evaporation rates in the dry season and high runoff rates in the wet season, both of which are the combined result of the greater presence of developed biocrusts and stoniness in the areas of higher geodiversity.
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Kakeh J, Gorji M, Mohammadi MH, Asadi H, Khormali F, Sohrabi M, Cerdà A. Biological soil crusts determine soil properties and salt dynamics under arid climatic condition in Qara Qir, Iran. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 732:139168. [PMID: 32442768 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological soil crusts are a thin layer within the soil system but strongly determine the infiltration, runoff and water and solute movement. Little is known about the role of biological soil crusts on soil solute dynamics in arid ecosystems and the objective of this paper is to determine in Qara Qir rangeland how biological soil crusts control the water and salt distribution along the soil profile. Rainfall simulation experiments were carried out at five locations, and measurements of the soil at 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-50 and 50-80 cm depth were done before, 48 h and 21 days after the rainfall simulations. Soil particle size distribution, bulk density, water content, organic carbon and electrical conductivity were measured at each of the 270 samples (3 seasons × 3 times × 5 sites × 6 depths). Biological soil crusts increased soil organic carbon, soil water content, and infiltration rate; and biological soil crusts decreased soil bulk density, clay fraction, electrical conductivity, and other saline-sodic properties, especially in the upper layers (0-10 cm). Large pores in soils covered by biological soil crusts enhanced the preferential flows, infiltration and solute transport. Biological soil crusts not only directly affected the soil surface, but also influenced soil properties, and consequently determined spatio-temporal soil salinity distribution. Biological soil crusts act as a soil salinity reducing agent and contribute to the soil quality improvement under arid climatic conditions. Biological soil crusts can be considered as a soil conservation strategy and actively used in soil rehabilitation and ecosystems restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalil Kakeh
- Soil Sciences Department, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
| | | | | | - Hossein Asadi
- Soil Sciences Department, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
| | - Farhad Khormali
- Soil Sciences Department, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Sohrabi
- Biotechnology Department, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Artemi Cerdà
- Department of Geography, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
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21
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Chatziefthimiou AD, Banack SA, Cox PA. Biocrust-Produced Cyanotoxins Are Found Vertically in the Desert Soil Profile. Neurotox Res 2020; 39:42-48. [PMID: 32557323 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-020-00224-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The fate and persistence of the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and its isomers N-(2aminoethyl)glycine (AEG) and 2,4-diaminobuytric acid (DAB) in soil profiles is poorly understood. In desert environments, these cyanotoxins are commonly found in both terrestrial and adjacent marine ecosystems; they accumulate in biocrusts and groundwater catchments, and have been previously shown to persist in soil as deep as 25 cm. To determine the depth that BMAA and its isomers can be found, samples were incrementally collected every 5 cm from bedrock to surface in triplicate soil cores in a biocrust field in the terrestrial desert of Qatar. Biocrust surface samples were also collected from each core priorly. Toxins were extracted from soil sub-samples, derivatized, and analyzed with UPLC-MS/MS. All toxins were detected in all soil cores at all depths. AEG and DAB were within a quantifiable concentration threshold; however, the low concentration of BMAA was considered below the threshold for quantification. This may have environmental health implications if these toxins are able to infiltrate and contaminate the bedrock aquifer, as well as the sand and gravel aquifers. Human and animal health may also be impacted through exposure to contaminated groundwater wells or through inhalation of aerosolized particles of soil, resuspended during construction or recreational activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Anne Banack
- Brain Chemistry Labs, Institute for Ethnomedicine, Box 3464, Jackson, WY, 83001, USA.
| | - Paul Alan Cox
- Brain Chemistry Labs, Institute for Ethnomedicine, Box 3464, Jackson, WY, 83001, USA
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22
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Rodriguez R, Durán P. Natural Holobiome Engineering by Using Native Extreme Microbiome to Counteract the Climate Change Effects. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:568. [PMID: 32582678 PMCID: PMC7287022 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current scenario of climate change, the future of agriculture is uncertain. Climate change and climate-related disasters have a direct impact on biotic and abiotic factors that govern agroecosystems compromising the global food security. In the last decade, the advances in high throughput sequencing techniques have significantly improved our understanding about the composition, function and dynamics of plant microbiome. However, despite the microbiome have been proposed as a new platform for the next green revolution, our knowledge about the mechanisms that govern microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions are incipient. Currently, the adaptation of plants to environmental changes not only suggests that the plants can adapt or migrate, but also can interact with their surrounding microbial communities to alleviate different stresses by natural microbiome selection of specialized strains, phenomenon recently called "Cry for Help". From this way, plants have been co-evolved with their microbiota adapting to local environmental conditions to ensuring the survival of the entire holobiome to improve plant fitness. Thus, the strong selective pressure of native extreme microbiomes could represent a remarkable microbial niche of plant stress-amelioration to counteract the negative effect of climate change in food crops. Currently, the microbiome engineering has recently emerged as an alternative to modify and promote positive interactions between microorganisms and plants to improve plant fitness. In the present review, we discuss the possible use of extreme microbiome to alleviate different stresses in crop plants under the current scenario of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Rodriguez
- Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Paola Durán
- Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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23
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Miralles I, Lázaro R, Sánchez-Marañón M, Soriano M, Ortega R. Biocrust cover and successional stages influence soil bacterial composition and diversity in semiarid ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 709:134654. [PMID: 31905575 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biocrusts are an important drylands landscape component, which enriches the upper millimeters of the soil with organic matter and initiates biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about the influence of biocrusts on soil bacterial community structure and diversity. Different biocrust types representing a successional gradient were studied. This gradient, from the earliest to the latest successional stages, consisted of an incipient cyanobacterial biocrust < mature cyanobacterial biocrusts < biocrust dominated by the Squamarina lentigera and Diploschistes diacapsis lichens < Biocrust characterized by the Lepraria isidiata lichen. Moreover, in each biocrust type, four different percentages of biocrust cover were also selected. Soil diversity gradually increased with biocrust successional stage and percentage of biocrust cover. The biocrust cover had an important role in the total abundance of bacteria, generally increasing in soils colonized by the highest percentages of cover. Biocrust successional stage was the most important factor, significantly influencing 108 soil bacteria genera, whereas biocrust cover showed significant differences in only 10 genera. Principal Component Analysis showed contrasting microbial composition across the biocrust successional gradient. Some bacterial taxa were dominant in the soil colonized by different biocrust types. Thus, Leptolyngbya, Rubrobacter, Solirubrobacter, Geodermatophilus, etc., were more abundant in incipient cyanobacteria; Nostocales, Chroococcidiopsaceae, Coleofasciculaceae etc., under mature cyanobacterial biocrusts; Truepera, Sphingobacteriaceae, Actinophytocola, Kribella, etc., below the S. lentigera and D. diacapsis community, and Bryobacter, Ohtaekwangia, Opitutus, Pedosphaeraceae, etc., in soils colonized by L. isidiata. Several soil bacteria taxa showed significant correlations (p < 0.05) with chemical soil properties (pH, total nitrogen, total organic carbon, available phosphorous and electrical conductivity). We discuss the role of biocrusts influencing these chemical soil parameters, including the presence of certain metabolites secreted by biocrusts, and also their effects on soil moisture and several physical soil features, as well as their association with different microclimates, all of which could favor a more selective environment for certain bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Miralles
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - R Lázaro
- Experimental Station of Arid Zones (CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - M Sánchez-Marañón
- Department of Soil Science and Chemical Agriculture, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - M Soriano
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - R Ortega
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
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24
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Water Regulation in Cyanobacterial Biocrusts from Drylands: Negative Impacts of Anthropogenic Disturbance. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12030720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Arid and semi-arid ecosystems are characterized by patchy vegetation and variable resource availability. The interplant spaces of these ecosystems are very often covered by cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts, which are the primary colonizers of terrestrial ecosystems and key in facilitating the succession of other biocrust organisms and plants. Cyanobacterial biocrusts regulate the horizontal and vertical fluxes of water, carbon and nutrients into and from the soil and play crucial hydrological, geomorphological and ecological roles in these ecosystems. In this paper, we analyze the influence of cyanobacterial biocrusts on water balance components (infiltration-runoff, evaporation, soil moisture and non-rainfall water inputs (NRWIs)) in representative semiarid ecosystems in southeastern Spain. The influence of cyanobacterial biocrusts, in two stages of their development, on runoff-infiltration was studied by rainfall simulation and in field plots under natural rainfall at different spatial scales. Results showed that cover, exopolysaccharide content, roughness, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available water holding capacity, aggregate stability, and other properties increased with the development of the cyanobacterial biocrust. Due to the effects on these soil properties, runoff generation was lower in well-developed than in incipient-cyanobacterial biocrusts under both simulated and natural rainfall and on different spatial scales. Runoff yield decreased at coarser spatial scales due to re-infiltration along the hillslope, thus decreasing hydrological connectivity. Soil moisture monitoring at 0.03 m depth revealed higher moisture content and slower soil water loss in plots covered by cyanobacterial biocrusts compared to bare soils. Non-rainfall water inputs were also higher under well-developed cyanobacterial biocrusts than in bare soils. Disturbance of cyanobacterial biocrusts seriously affected the water balance by increasing runoff, decreasing soil moisture and accelerating soil water loss, at the same time that led to a very significant increase in sediment yield. The recovery of biocrust cover after disturbance can be relatively fast, but its growth rate is strongly conditioned by microclimate. The results of this paper show the important influence of cyanobacterial biocrust in modulating the different processes supporting the capacity of these ecosystems to provide key services such as water regulation or erosion control, and also the important impacts of their anthropic disturbance.
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25
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Guo Y, Zhao Y, Downing AJ. Effect of storage time on the physiological characteristics and vegetative regeneration of desiccation‐tolerant mosses on the Loess Plateau, China. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuewei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dry‐land Farming on the Loess PlateauInstitute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Yunge Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dry‐land Farming on the Loess PlateauInstitute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
| | - Alison J. Downing
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
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26
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Condon LA, Pyke DA. Components and Predictors of Biological Soil Crusts Vary at the Regional vs. Plant Community Scales. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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27
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Condon LA, Pietrasiak N, Rosentreter R, Pyke DA. Passive restoration of vegetation and biological soil crusts following 80 years of exclusion from grazing across the Great Basin. Restor Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lea A. Condon
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center U.S. Geological Survey Corvallis OR 97331 U.S.A
| | - Nicole Pietrasiak
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 U.S.A
| | | | - David A. Pyke
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center U.S. Geological Survey Corvallis OR 97331 U.S.A
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Dollinger J, Lin CH, Udawatta RP, Pot V, Benoit P, Jose S. Influence of agroforestry plant species on the infiltration of S-Metolachlor in buffer soils. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2019; 225:103498. [PMID: 31103926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2019.103498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Agroforestry practices have been acknowledged for reducing pesticide losses while maintaining land productivity. Pesticide removal from overland flow results from great infiltration capacities of the buffer soils. This can in turn threaten the quality of groundwater in case of poor pesticide sorption and degradation in the root-influenced zone. These mechanisms and their balance are likely to be influenced by plant species. However, little is known about the role of agroforestry species in the infiltration of herbicides. The aim of this study was thereby to evaluate how popular agroforestry species modulate the infiltration of water and of a widely used herbicide. We established large buffer microcosms by planting Brome grass, Black walnut, Pin oak and Poplar trees in repacked soil columns. After a growth season of 4 months, we performed ponded infiltration experiments with bromide and S-Metolachlor. We used then the HYDRUS 1D model to compare the hydrodynamic properties and S-Metolachlor transport patterns between the microcosms. In addition, we compared the sorption properties of the rhizosphere and bulk soils. We found that the tree species increased the sorption of S-Metolachlor in soil with Kd being 3 times greater than in the un-vegetated and Brome grass microcosms. Poplar trees increased the hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) compared to the control and was associated to a low retardation of S-metolachlor, which increases the risk of groundwater contamination. With slightly reduced Ksat and retardation factor in the root zone, 1.6 to 1.8 times greater than in the control treatment, Black walnut appears as an optimal species for mitigating S-Metolachlor. The Brome grass and oak microcosms had the lowest Ksat of all treatments and S-Metolachlor retardation factors were equal and slightly increased compared to the control, respectively. These results show that agroforestry buffer's efficiency can be optimized by selecting appropriate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Dollinger
- UMR ECOSYS INRA-AgroParisTech, Campus de Grignon, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France.
| | - Chung-Ho Lin
- The Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, 203 Anheuser Busch Natural Resources Bldg., Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Ranjith P Udawatta
- The Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, 203 Anheuser Busch Natural Resources Bldg., Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Valérie Pot
- UMR ECOSYS INRA-AgroParisTech, Campus de Grignon, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Pierre Benoit
- UMR ECOSYS INRA-AgroParisTech, Campus de Grignon, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Shibu Jose
- The School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 103 Anheuser Busch Natural Resources Bldg., Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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29
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Slate ML, Durham RA, Pearson DE. Strategies for restoring the structure and function of lichen‐moss biocrust communities. Restor Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mandy L. Slate
- Rocky Mountain Research Station USFS Missoula MT 59801 U.S.A
- MPG Ranch, 1001 S. Higgins Avenue STE A3 Missoula MT 59801 U.S.A
| | | | - Dean E. Pearson
- Rocky Mountain Research Station USFS Missoula MT 59801 U.S.A
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30
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Bashtian MH, Sepehr A, Farzam M, Bahreini M. Biological Soil Crusts, Plant Functional Groups, and Soil Parameters in Arid Areas of Iran. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2018.66.4.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adel Sepehr
- Department of Desert and Arid Zones Management, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Farzam
- Department of Rangelands and Watershed Management, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Bahreini
- Department of Biology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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31
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Roncero-Ramos B, Muñoz-Martín MÁ, Chamizo S, Fernández-Valbuena L, Mendoza D, Perona E, Cantón Y, Mateo P. Polyphasic evaluation of key cyanobacteria in biocrusts from the most arid region in Europe. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6169. [PMID: 30627491 PMCID: PMC6321753 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are key microbes in topsoil communities that have important roles in preventing soil erosion, carbon and nitrogen fixation, and influencing soil hydrology. However, little is known regarding the identity and distribution of the microbial components in the photosynthetic assemblages that form a cohesive biological soil crust (biocrust) in drylands of Europe. In this study, we investigated the cyanobacterial species colonizing biocrusts in three representative dryland ecosystems from the most arid region in Europe (SE Spain) that are characterized by different soil conditions. Isolated cyanobacterial cultures were identified by a polyphasic approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, phylogenetic relationship determination, and morphological and ecological habitat assessments. Three well-differentiated groups were identified: heterocystous-cyanobacteria (Nostoc commune, Nostoc calcicola, Tolypothrix distorta and Scytonema hyalinum), which play an important role in N and C cycling in soil; nonheterocystous bundle-forming cyanobacteria (Microcoleus steenstrupii, Trichocoleus desertorum, and Schizothrix cf. calcicola); and narrow filamentous cyanobacteria (Leptolyngbya frigida and Oculatella kazantipica), all of which are essential genera for initial biocrust formation. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of cyanobacterial species composition in biocrusts from important and understudied European habitats, such as the Mediterranean Basin, a hotspot of biodiversity, where these species are keystone pioneer organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sonia Chamizo
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Diego Mendoza
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elvira Perona
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Cantón
- Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain.,Centro de Investigación de Colecciones Científicas de la Universidad de Almería, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Pilar Mateo
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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32
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Lafuente A, Berdugo M, de Guevara ML, Gozalo B, Maestre FT. Simulated climate change affects how biocrusts modulate water gains and desiccation dynamics after rainfall events. ECOHYDROLOGY : ECOSYSTEMS, LAND AND WATER PROCESS INTERACTIONS, ECOHYDROGEOMORPHOLOGY 2018; 11:e1935. [PMID: 30288205 PMCID: PMC6166855 DOI: 10.1002/eco.1935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Soil surface communities dominated by mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria (biocrusts) are common between vegetation patches in drylands worldwide, and are known to affect soil wetting and drying after rainfall events. While ongoing climate change is already warming and changing rainfall patterns of drylands in many regions, little is known on how these changes may affect the hydrological behaviour of biocrust-covered soils. We used eight years of continuous soil moisture and rainfall data from a climate change experiment in central Spain to explore how biocrusts modify soil water gains and losses after rainfall events under simulated changes in temperature (2.5°C warming) and rainfall (33% reduction). Both rainfall amount and biocrust cover increased soil water gains after rainfall events, whereas experimental warming, rainfall intensity and initial soil moisture decreased them. Initial moisture, maximum temperature and biocrust cover, by means of enhancing potential evapotranspiration or by soil darkening, increased the drying rates and enhanced the exponential behaviour of the drying events. Meanwhile, warming reduced their exponential behaviour. The effects of climate change treatments on soil water gains and losses changed through time, with important differences between the first two years of the experiment and five years after its setup. These effects were mainly driven by the important reductions in biocrust cover and diversity observed under warming. Our results highlight the importance of long-term studies to understand soil moisture responses to ongoing climate change in drylands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Lafuente
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
- Correspondence to: Angela Lafuente, Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain.
| | - Miguel Berdugo
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Mónica Ladrón de Guevara
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Beatriz Gozalo
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Fernando T. Maestre
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
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33
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Assaeed AM, Al-Rowaily SL, El-Bana MI, Abood AAA, Dar BAM, Hegazy AK. Impact of off-road vehicles on soil and vegetation in a desert rangeland in Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Biol Sci 2018; 26:1187-1193. [PMID: 31516348 PMCID: PMC6733387 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Off-road vehicle driving is considered as main contributor to land degradation in arid regions. This study examined the impact of off-road vehicles (ORV) on soil and vegetation in a natural recreational desert meadow of Raudhat Khuraim, Saudi Arabia. Vegetation canopy cover and plant height away from road tracks were assessed. Also, species density and canopy cover, bare ground cover and soil attributes were assessed in four microhabitats; tracks, inter-tracks, verges, and away from vehicle tracks (undisturbed natural areas). Results show that the cover of forbs and grasses was negatively associated with distance from road verges. It was observed that the height of woody species responded negatively to distance away from tracks. Cover of native species decreased under verge, inter-track and track microhabitats giving more opportunity for weeds to flourish. Bare ground was highest (60.7%) in tracks. ORV impact on soil bulk density was clear with an increase of 38% under tracks compared to soils of undisturbed natural vegetation and a similar decrease in porosity was observed. On the other hand, soil electrical conductivity was significantly higher (5.45 mS cm-1) under disturbance compared to 1.32 mS cm-1 in undisturbed natural vegetation. Organic matter and nitrogen were not affected significantly by ORV disturbance. The results emphasize that managing off-road vehicle driving is essential for conserving native vegetation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulaziz M Assaeed
- Department of Plant Production, King Saud University, PO Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saud L Al-Rowaily
- Department of Plant Production, King Saud University, PO Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdy I El-Bana
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Abdullah A A Abood
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basharat A M Dar
- Department of Plant Production, King Saud University, PO Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad K Hegazy
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
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34
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Hinchliffe G, Bollard-Breen B, Cowan DA, Doshi A, Gillman LN, Maggs-Kolling G, de Los Rios A, Pointing SB. Advanced Photogrammetry to Assess Lichen Colonization in the Hyper-Arid Namib Desert. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2083. [PMID: 29312153 PMCID: PMC5663711 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hyper-arid central region of the Namib Desert is characterized by quartz desert pavement terrain that is devoid of vascular plant covers. In this extreme habitat the only discernible surface covers are epilithic lichens that colonize exposed surfaces of quartz rocks. These lichens are highly susceptible to disturbance and so field surveys have been limited due to concerns about disturbing this unusual desert feature. Here we present findings that illustrate how non-destructive surveys based upon advanced photogrammetry techniques can yield meaningful and novel scientific data on these lichens. We combined 'structure from motion analysis,' computer vision and GIS to create 3-dimensional point clouds from two-dimensional imagery. The data were robust in its application to estimating absolute lichen cover. An orange Stellarangia spp. assemblage had coverage of 22.8% of available substrate, whilst for a black Xanthoparmelia spp. assemblage coverage was markedly lower at 0.6% of available substrate. Hyperspectral signatures for both lichens were distinct in the near-infra red range indicating that Xanthoparmelia spp. was likely under relatively more moisture stress than Stellarangia spp. at the time of sampling, and we postulate that albedo effects may have contributed to this in the black lichen. Further transformation of the data revealed a colonization preference for west-facing quartz surfaces and this coincides with prevailing winds for marine fog that is the major source of moisture in this system. Furthermore, a three-dimensional 'fly through' of the lichen habitat was created to illustrate how the application of computer vision in microbiology has further potential as a research and education tool. We discuss how advanced photogrammetry could be applied in astrobiology using autonomous rovers to add quantitative ecological data for visible surface colonization on the surface of Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Hinchliffe
- Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Barbara Bollard-Breen
- Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Don A. Cowan
- The Genomics Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ashray Doshi
- Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Len N. Gillman
- Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Asuncion de Los Rios
- Departamento de Biogeoquímica y Ecología Microbiana, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
| | - Stephen B. Pointing
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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35
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Mogul R, Vaishampayan P, Bashir M, McKay CP, Schubert K, Bornaccorsi R, Gomez E, Tharayil S, Payton G, Capra J, Andaya J, Bacon L, Bargoma E, Black D, Boos K, Brant M, Chabot M, Chau D, Cisneros J, Chu G, Curnutt J, DiMizio J, Engelbrecht C, Gott C, Harnoto R, Hovanesian R, Johnson S, Lavergne B, Martinez G, Mans P, Morales E, Oei A, Peplow G, Piaget R, Ponce N, Renteria E, Rodriguez V, Rodriguez J, Santander M, Sarmiento K, Scheppelmann A, Schroter G, Sexton D, Stephenson J, Symer K, Russo-Tait T, Weigel B, Wilhelm MB. Microbial Community and Biochemical Dynamics of Biological Soil Crusts across a Gradient of Surface Coverage in the Central Mojave Desert. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1974. [PMID: 29109701 PMCID: PMC5660283 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we expand upon the biogeography of biological soil crusts (BSCs) and provide molecular insights into the microbial community and biochemical dynamics along the vertical BSC column structure, and across a transect of increasing BSC surface coverage in the central Mojave Desert, CA, United States. Next generation sequencing reveals a bacterial community profile that is distinct among BSCs in the southwestern United States. Distribution of major phyla in the BSC topsoils included Cyanobacteria (33 ± 8%), Proteobacteria (26 ± 6%), and Chloroflexi (12 ± 4%), with Phormidium being the numerically dominant genus. Furthermore, BSC subsurfaces contained Proteobacteria (23 ± 5%), Actinobacteria (20 ± 5%), and Chloroflexi (18 ± 3%), with an unidentified genus from Chloroflexi (AKIW781, order) being numerically dominant. Across the transect, changes in distribution at the phylum (p < 0.0439) and genus (p < 0.006) levels, including multiple biochemical and geochemical trends (p < 0.05), positively correlated with increasing BSC surface coverage. This included increases in (a) Chloroflexi abundance, (b) abundance and diversity of Cyanobacteria, (b) OTU-level diversity in the topsoil, (c) OTU-level differentiation between the topsoil and subsurface, (d) intracellular ATP abundances and catalase activities, and (e) enrichments in clay, silt, and varying elements, including S, Mn, Co, As, and Pb, in the BSC topsoils. In sum, these studies suggest that BSCs from regions of differing surface coverage represent early successional stages, which exhibit increasing bacterial diversity, metabolic activities, and capacity to restructure the soil. Further, these trends suggest that BSC successional maturation and colonization across the transect are inhibited by metals/metalloids such as B, Ca, Ti, Mn, Co, Ni, Mo, and Pb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Mogul
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Parag Vaishampayan
- Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, United States.,Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Mina Bashir
- Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States.,Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Chris P McKay
- Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mountain View, CA, United States
| | - Keith Schubert
- Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Department of Computer Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States
| | - Rosalba Bornaccorsi
- Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, United States
| | - Ernesto Gomez
- Science Team, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Department of Computer Science, California State University, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Sneha Tharayil
- College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.,Teacher Core, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Geoffrey Payton
- Teacher Core, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Orchard Academies 2B: Arts and Media, Bell, CA, United States
| | - Juliana Capra
- Teacher Core, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Foothills Middle School, Arcadia, CA, United States
| | - Jessica Andaya
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Leonard Bacon
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Maple Hill High School, Castleton-on-Hudson, NY, United States
| | - Emily Bargoma
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - David Black
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,American Academy of Innovation, Jordan, UT, United States
| | - Katie Boos
- College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Michaela Brant
- College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Michael Chabot
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Danny Chau
- Orchard Academies 2B: Arts and Media, Bell, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Jessica Cisneros
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Geoff Chu
- Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mountain View, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Jane Curnutt
- Department of Computer Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Jessica DiMizio
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Excellence in STEM Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
| | - Christian Engelbrecht
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Math and Science Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Caroline Gott
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Raechel Harnoto
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Excellence in STEM Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
| | - Ruben Hovanesian
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Shane Johnson
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Excellence in STEM Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
| | - Britne Lavergne
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Math and Science Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Gabriel Martinez
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Paul Mans
- Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mountain View, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Ernesto Morales
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Alex Oei
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Gary Peplow
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Smiley Elementary School, Redlands, CA, United States
| | - Ryan Piaget
- Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mountain View, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Nicole Ponce
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Math and Science Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Eduardo Renteria
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Veronica Rodriguez
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Joseph Rodriguez
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Monica Santander
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Khamille Sarmiento
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Allison Scheppelmann
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Excellence in STEM Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
| | - Gavin Schroter
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Excellence in STEM Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
| | - Devan Sexton
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Jenin Stephenson
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Math and Science Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kristin Symer
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Excellence in STEM Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
| | - Tatiane Russo-Tait
- Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States.,Center for Math and Science Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Bill Weigel
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Mary B Wilhelm
- Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mountain View, CA, United States.,Research Cohorts, NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, Pomona, CA, United States
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36
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Faist AM, Herrick JE, Belnap J, Van Zee JW, Barger NN. Biological soil crust and disturbance controls on surface hydrology in a semi-arid ecosystem. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Akasha M. Faist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Colorado; Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | | | - Jayne Belnap
- U.S. Geological Survey; Southwest Biological Science Center; Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Justin W. Van Zee
- USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range; Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA
| | - Nichole N. Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Colorado; Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
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Rutherford WA, Painter TH, Ferrenberg S, Belnap J, Okin GS, Flagg C, Reed SC. Albedo feedbacks to future climate via climate change impacts on dryland biocrusts. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44188. [PMID: 28281687 PMCID: PMC5345002 DOI: 10.1038/srep44188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Drylands represent the planet's largest terrestrial biome and evidence suggests these landscapes have large potential for creating feedbacks to future climate. Recent studies also indicate that dryland ecosystems are responding markedly to climate change. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) ‒ soil surface communities of lichens, mosses, and/or cyanobacteria ‒ comprise up to 70% of dryland cover and help govern fundamental ecosystem functions, including soil stabilization and carbon uptake. Drylands are expected to experience significant changes in temperature and precipitation regimes, and such alterations may impact biocrust communities by promoting rapid mortality of foundational species. In turn, biocrust community shifts affect land surface cover and roughness-changes that can dramatically alter albedo. We tested this hypothesis in a full-factorial warming (+4 °C above ambient) and altered precipitation (increased frequency of 1.2 mm monsoon-type watering events) experiment on the Colorado Plateau, USA. We quantified changes in shortwave albedo via multi-angle, solar-reflectance measurements. Warming and watering treatments each led to large increases in albedo (>30%). This increase was driven by biophysical factors related to treatment effects on cyanobacteria cover and soil surface roughness following treatment-induced moss and lichen mortality. A rise in dryland surface albedo may represent a previously unidentified feedback to future climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas H Painter
- Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Scott Ferrenberg
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532, USA
| | - Jayne Belnap
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532, USA
| | - Gregory S Okin
- Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Cody Flagg
- National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA
| | - Sasha C Reed
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532, USA
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Condon LA, Pyke DA. Filling the interspace-restoring arid land mosses: source populations, organic matter, and overwintering govern success. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7623-7632. [PMID: 30128116 PMCID: PMC6093148 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts contribute to ecosystem functions and occupy space that could be available to invasive annual grasses. Given disturbances in the semiarid shrub steppe communities, we embarked on a set of studies to investigate restoration potential of mosses in sagebrush steppe ecosystems. We examined establishment and growth of two moss species common to the Great Basin, USA: Bryum argenteum and Syntrichia ruralis from two environmental settings (warm dry vs. cool moist). Moss fragments were inoculated into a third warm dry setting, on bare soil in spring and fall, both with and without a jute net and with and without spring irrigation. Moss cover was monitored in spring seasons of three consecutive years. Both moss species increased in cover over the winter. When Bryum received spring irrigation that was out of sync with natural precipitation patterns, moss cover increased and then crashed, taking two seasons to recover. Syntrichia did not respond to the irrigation treatment. The addition of jute net increased moss cover under all conditions, except Syntrichia following fall inoculation, which required a second winter to increase in cover. The warm dry population of Bryum combined with jute achieved on average 60% cover compared to the cool moist population that achieved only 28% cover by the end of the study. Differences were less pronounced for Syntrichia where moss from the warm dry population with jute achieved on average 51% cover compared to the cool moist population that achieved 43% cover by the end of the study. Restoration of arid land mosses may quickly protect soils from erosion while occupying sites before invasive plants. We show that higher moss cover will be achieved quickly with the addition of organic matter and when moss fragments originate from sites with a climate that is similar to that of the restoration site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea A. Condon
- Department of Botany and Plant PathologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisORUSA
- U.S. Geological SurveyForest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterCorvallisORUSA
| | - David A. Pyke
- U.S. Geological SurveyForest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterCorvallisORUSA
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Asplund J, Wardle DA. How lichens impact on terrestrial community and ecosystem properties. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1720-1738. [PMID: 27730713 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Lichens occur in most terrestrial ecosystems; they are often present as minor contributors, but in some forests, drylands and tundras they can make up most of the ground layer biomass. As such, lichens dominate approximately 8% of the Earth's land surface. Despite their potential importance in driving ecosystem biogeochemistry, the influence of lichens on community processes and ecosystem functioning have attracted relatively little attention. Here, we review the role of lichens in terrestrial ecosystems and draw attention to the important, but often overlooked role of lichens as determinants of ecological processes. We start by assessing characteristics that vary among lichens and that may be important in determining their ecological role; these include their growth form, the types of photobionts that they contain, their key functional traits, their water-holding capacity, their colour, and the levels of secondary compounds in their thalli. We then assess how these differences among lichens influence their impacts on ecosystem and community processes. As such, we consider the consequences of these differences for determining the impacts of lichens on ecosystem nutrient inputs and fluxes, on the loss of mass and nutrients during lichen thallus decomposition, and on the role of lichenivorous invertebrates in moderating decomposition. We then consider how differences among lichens impact on their interactions with consumer organisms that utilize lichen thalli, and that range in size from microfauna (for which the primary role of lichens is habitat provision) to large mammals (for which lichens are primarily a food source). We then address how differences among lichens impact on plants, through for example increasing nutrient inputs and availability during primary succession, and serving as a filter for plant seedling establishment. Finally we identify areas in need of further work for better understanding the role of lichens in terrestrial ecosystems. These include understanding how the high intraspecific trait variation that characterizes many lichens impacts on community assembly processes and ecosystem functioning, how multiple species mixtures of lichens affect the key community- and ecosystem-level processes that they drive, the extent to which lichens in early succession influence vascular plant succession and ecosystem development in the longer term, and how global change drivers may impact on ecosystem functioning through altering the functional composition of lichen communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Asplund
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - David A Wardle
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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Chamizo S, Belnap J, Eldridge DJ, Cantón Y, Malam Issa O. The Role of Biocrusts in Arid Land Hydrology. BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUSTS: AN ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE IN DRYLANDS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Antoninka A, Bowker MA, Reed SC, Doherty K. Production of greenhouse-grown biocrust mosses and associated cyanobacteria to rehabilitate dryland soil function. Restor Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anita Antoninka
- School of Forestry; Northern Arizona University; 200 East Pine Knoll Drive Flagstaff AZ 86011 U.S.A
| | - Matthew A. Bowker
- School of Forestry; Northern Arizona University; 200 East Pine Knoll Drive Flagstaff AZ 86011 U.S.A
- Southwest Biological Science Center; US Geological Survey; 2255 North Gemini Drive Flagstaff AZ 86001 U.S.A
| | - Sasha C. Reed
- Southwest Biological Science Center; US Geological Survey; 2290 Southwest Resource Boulevard Moab UT 84532 U.S.A
| | - Kyle Doherty
- Southwest Biological Science Center; US Geological Survey; 2255 North Gemini Drive Flagstaff AZ 86001 U.S.A
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Climate change and physical disturbance cause similar community shifts in biological soil crusts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:12116-21. [PMID: 26371310 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1509150112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts)—communities of mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria, and heterotrophs living at the soil surface—are fundamental components of drylands worldwide, and destruction of biocrusts dramatically alters biogeochemical processes, hydrology, surface energy balance, and vegetation cover. Although there has been long-standing concern over impacts of physical disturbances on biocrusts (e.g., trampling by livestock, damage from vehicles), there is increasing concern over the potential for climate change to alter biocrust community structure. Using long-term data from the Colorado Plateau, we examined the effects of 10 y of experimental warming and altered precipitation (in full-factorial design) on biocrust communities and compared the effects of altered climate with those of long-term physical disturbance (>10 y of replicated human trampling). Surprisingly, altered climate and physical disturbance treatments had similar effects on biocrust community structure. Warming, altered precipitation frequency [an increase of small (1.2 mm) summer rainfall events], and physical disturbance from trampling all promoted early successional community states marked by dramatic declines in moss cover and increases in cyanobacteria cover, with more variable effects on lichens. Although the pace of community change varied significantly among treatments, our results suggest that multiple aspects of climate change will affect biocrusts to the same degree as physical disturbance. This is particularly disconcerting in the context of warming, as temperatures for drylands are projected to increase beyond those imposed as treatments in our study.
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Bu C, Wu S, Han F, Yang Y, Meng J. The combined effects of moss-dominated biocrusts and vegetation on erosion and soil moisture and implications for disturbance on the Loess Plateau, China. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127394. [PMID: 25993431 PMCID: PMC4439065 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (BSCs, or biocrusts) have important positive ecological functions such as erosion control and soil fertility improvement, and they may also have negative effects on soil moisture in some cases. Simultaneous discussions of the two-sided impacts of BSCs are key to the rational use of this resource. This study focused on the contribution of BSCs while combining with specific types of vegetation to erosion reduction and their effects on soil moisture, and it addressed the feasibility of removal or raking disturbance. Twelve plots measuring 4 m × 2 m and six treatments (two plots for each) were established on a 15° slope in a small watershed in the Loess Plateau using BSCs, bare land (as a control, BL), Stipa bungeana Trin. (STBU), Caragana korshinskii Kom. (CAKO), STBU planted with BSCs (STBU+BSCs) and CAKO planted with BSCs (CAKO+BSCs). The runoff, soil loss and soil moisture to a depth of 3 m were measured throughout the rainy season (from June to September) of 2010. The results showed that BSCs significantly reduced runoff by 37.3% and soil loss by 81.0% and increased infiltration by 12.4% in comparison with BL. However, when combined with STBU or CAKO, BSCs only made negligible contributions to erosion control (a runoff reduction of 7.4% and 5.7% and a soil loss reduction of 0.7% and 0.3%). Generally, the soil moisture of the vegetation plots was lower in the upper layer than that of the BL plots, although when accompanied with a higher amount of infiltration, this soil moisture consumption phenomenon was much clearer when combining vegetation with BSCs. Because of the trivial contributions from BSCs to erosion control and the remaining exacerbated consumption of soil water, moderate disturbance by BSCs should be considered in plots with adequate vegetation cover to improve soil moisture levels without a significant erosion increase, which was implied to be necessary and feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongfeng Bu
- Northwest A & F University, State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shufang Wu
- College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fengpeng Han
- Northwest A & F University, State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yongsheng Yang
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jie Meng
- Northwest A & F University, State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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Makhalanyane TP, Valverde A, Gunnigle E, Frossard A, Ramond JB, Cowan DA. Microbial ecology of hot desert edaphic systems. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2015; 39:203-21. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuu011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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45
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Climatic and soil texture threshold values for cryptogamic cover development: a meta analysis. Biologia (Bratisl) 2014. [DOI: 10.2478/s11756-014-0464-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Read CF, Duncan DH, Vesk PA, Elith J, Wan S. Biocrust morphogroups provide an effective and rapid assessment tool for drylands. J Appl Ecol 2014; 51:1740-1749. [PMID: 25598550 PMCID: PMC4286204 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) occur across most of the world's drylands and are sensitive indicators of dryland degradation. Accounting for shifts in biocrust composition is important for quantifying integrity of arid and semi-arid ecosystems, but the best methods for assessing biocrusts are uncertain. We investigate the utility of surveying biocrust morphogroups, a reduced set of biotic classes, compared to species data, for detecting shifts in biocrust composition and making inference about dryland degradation.We used multivariate regression tree (MRT) analyses to model morphogroup abundance, species abundance and species occurrence data from two independent studies in semi-arid open woodlands of south-eastern Australia. We advanced the MRT method with a 'best subsets' model selection procedure, which improved model stability and prediction.Biocrust morphogroup composition responded strongly to surrogate variables of ecological degradation. Further, MRT models of morphogroup data had stronger explanatory power and predictive power than MRT models of species abundance or occurrence data. We also identified morphogroup indicators of degraded and less degraded sites in our study region.Synthesis and applications. Sustainable management of drylands requires methods to assess shifts in ecological integrity. We suggest that biocrust morphogroups are highly suitable for assessment of dryland integrity because they allow for non-expert, rapid survey and are informative about ecological function. Furthermore, morphogroups were more robust than biocrust species data, showed a strong response to ecological degradation and were less influenced by environmental variation, and models of morphogroup abundance were more predictive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassia F Read
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - David H Duncan
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia ; Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research 123 Brown St, Heidelberg, Vic., 3084, Australia
| | - Peter A Vesk
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Jane Elith
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Shiqiang Wan
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
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Physiology-based prognostic modeling of the influence of changes in precipitation on a keystone dryland plant species. Oecologia 2014; 176:933-42. [PMID: 25193314 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3067-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Fluctuations in mean annual precipitation (MAP) will strongly influence the ecology of dryland ecosystems in the future, yet, because individual precipitation events drive growth and resource availability for many dryland organisms, changes in intra-annual precipitation may disproportionately influence future dryland processes. This work examines the hypothesis that intra-annual precipitation changes will drive dryland productivity to a greater extent than changes to MAP. To test this hypothesis, we created a physiology-based model to predict the effects of precipitation change on a widespread biocrust moss that regulates soil structure, water retention, and nutrient cycling in drylands. First, we used the model to examine moss productivity over the next 100 years driven by alterations in MAP by ± 10, 20 and 30%, and changes in intra-annual precipitation (event size and frequency). Productivity increased as a function of MAP, but differed among simulations where intra-annual precipitation was manipulated under constant MAP. Supporting our hypothesis, this demonstrates that, even if MAP does not change, changes in the features of individual precipitation events can strongly influence long-term performance. Second, we used the model to examine 100-year productivity based on projected dryland precipitation from published global and regional models. These simulations predicted 25-63% reductions in productivity and increased moss mortality rates, declines that will likely alter water and nutrient cycling in dryland ecosystems. Intra-annual precipitation in model-based simulations was a stronger predictor of productivity compared to MAP, further supporting our hypothesis, and illustrating that intra-annual precipitation patterns may dominate dryland responses to altered precipitation in a future climate.
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49
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Biological soil crusts influence carbon release responses following rainfall in a temperate desert, northern China. Ecol Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-014-1177-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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50
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Vascular Plants and Biocrusts Modulate How Abiotic Factors Affect Wetting and Drying Events in Drylands. Ecosystems 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-014-9790-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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