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Power SN, Thomas VA, Salvatore MR, Barrett JE. Habitat suitability of biocrust communities in a cold desert ecosystem. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11649. [PMID: 38952663 PMCID: PMC11213821 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11649] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Drylands are unique among terrestrial ecosystems in that they have a significant proportion of primary production facilitated by non-vascular plants such as colonial cyanobacteria, moss, and lichens, i.e., biocrusts, which occur on and in the surface soil. Biocrusts inhabit all continents, including Antarctica, an increasingly dynamic continent on the precipice of change. Here, we describe in-situ field surveying and sampling, remote sensing, and modeling approaches to assess the habitat suitability of biocrusts in the Lake Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, which is the main site of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research Program. Soils suitable for the development of biocrusts are typically wetter, less alkaline, and less saline compared to unvegetated soils. Using random forest models, we show that gravimetric water content, electrical conductivity, and snow frequency are the top predictors of biocrust presence and biomass. Areas most suitable for the growth of dense biocrusts are soils associated with seasonal snow patches. Using geospatial data to extrapolate our habitat suitability model to the whole basin predicts that biocrusts are present in 2.7 × 105 m2 and contain 11-72 Mg of aboveground carbon, based on the 90% probability of occurrence. Our study illustrates the synergistic effect of combining field and remote sensing data for understanding the distribution and biomass of biocrusts, a foundational community in the carbon balance of this region. Extreme weather events and changing climate conditions in this region, especially those influencing snow accumulation and persistence, could have significant effects on the future distribution and abundance of biocrusts and therefore soil organic carbon storage in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N. Power
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Valerie A. Thomas
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental ConservationVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Mark R. Salvatore
- Department of Astronomy & Planetary ScienceNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffArizonaUSA
| | - John E. Barrett
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
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Slate ML, Antoninka A, Bailey L, Berdugo MB, Callaghan DA, Cárdenas M, Chmielewski MW, Fenton NJ, Holland-Moritz H, Hopkins S, Jean M, Kraichak BE, Lindo Z, Merced A, Oke T, Stanton D, Stuart J, Tucker D, Coe KK. Impact of changing climate on bryophyte contributions to terrestrial water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:2411-2429. [PMID: 38659154 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19772] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Bryophytes, including the lineages of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are the second-largest photoautotroph group on Earth. Recent work across terrestrial ecosystems has highlighted how bryophytes retain and control water, fix substantial amounts of carbon (C), and contribute to nitrogen (N) cycles in forests (boreal, temperate, and tropical), tundra, peatlands, grasslands, and deserts. Understanding how changing climate affects bryophyte contributions to global cycles in different ecosystems is of primary importance. However, because of their small physical size, bryophytes have been largely ignored in research on water, C, and N cycles at global scales. Here, we review the literature on how bryophytes influence global biogeochemical cycles, and we highlight that while some aspects of global change represent critical tipping points for survival, bryophytes may also buffer many ecosystems from change due to their capacity for water, C, and N uptake and storage. However, as the thresholds of resistance of bryophytes to temperature and precipitation regime changes are mostly unknown, it is challenging to predict how long this buffering capacity will remain functional. Furthermore, as ecosystems shift their global distribution in response to changing climate, the size of different bryophyte-influenced biomes will change, resulting in shifts in the magnitude of bryophyte impacts on global ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy L Slate
- Department of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Anita Antoninka
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86005, USA
| | - Lydia Bailey
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86005, USA
| | - Monica B Berdugo
- Plant Ecology and Geobotany, Department of Biology, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Des A Callaghan
- Bryophyte Surveys Ltd, Almondsbury, South Gloucestershire, BS32 4DU, UK
| | - Mariana Cárdenas
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | | | - Nicole J Fenton
- Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X 5E4, Canada
| | - Hannah Holland-Moritz
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Samantha Hopkins
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Mélanie Jean
- Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, E1A 3E9, Canada
| | - Bier Ekaphan Kraichak
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Zoë Lindo
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Amelia Merced
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras, San Juan, PR, 00925, USA
| | - Tobi Oke
- Wildlife Conservation Society & School of Environment & Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Daniel Stanton
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Julia Stuart
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA
- Mountain Planning Service Group, US Forest Service, Lakewood, CO, 80401, USA
| | - Daniel Tucker
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Kirsten K Coe
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
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Zhang S, Fan D, Wu J, Zhang X, Zhuang X, Kong W. The interaction of climate, plant, and soil factors drives putative soil fungal pathogen diversity and community structure in dry grasslands. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13223. [PMID: 38124298 PMCID: PMC10866062 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Soil pathogens play important roles in shaping soil microbial diversity and controlling ecosystem functions. Though climate and local environmental factors and their influences on fungal pathogen communities have been examined separately, few studies explore the relative contributions of these factors. This is particularly crucial in eco-fragile regions, which are more sensitive to environmental changes. Herein we investigated the diversity and community structure of putative soil fungal pathogens in cold and dry grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau, using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that steppe soils had the highest diversity of all pathogens and plant pathogens; contrastingly, meadow soils had the highest animal pathogen diversity. Structural equation modelling revealed that climate, plant, and soil had similar levels of influence on putative soil fungal pathogen diversity, with total effects ranging from 52% to 59% (all p < 0.001), with precipitation exhibiting a stronger direct effect than plant and soil factors. Putative soil fungal pathogen community structure gradually changed with desert, steppe, and meadow, and was primarily controlled by the interactions of climate, plant, and soil factors rather than by distinct factors individually. This finding contrasts with most studies of soil bacterial and fungal community structure, which generally report dominant roles of individual environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER)Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Dandan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER)Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jianshuang Wu
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in AgricultureChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xianzhou Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and ModelingInstitute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xuliang Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER)Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Weidong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER)Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesCapital Normal UniversityBeijingChina
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Siwach A, Kaushal S, Sarma K, Baishya R. Interplay of moss cover and seasonal variation regulate soil physicochemical properties and net nitrogen mineralization rates in Central Himalayas, India. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 345:118839. [PMID: 37598496 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118839] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Mosses (Class- Bryopsida) are vital to ecosystem dynamics in numerous biomes, although their effects on soil processes are poorly understood. The interplay of moss cover and seasonal variations in soil processes is still unclear in the Indian Central Himalayas. Therefore, we examined the seasonal variations in net nitrogen (N) mineralization rates and several soil properties under two ground covers (with and without moss cover). We used the ex-situ incubation technique to determine N mineralization rates (Rmin) and standard methodology for soil physical and chemical analysis. During the rainy season, the physical properties of the soil and its nutrients, apart from phosphorus, were higher under moss cover. The winter season, however, showed a different pattern, with soil properties exhibiting higher values in soils without moss cover. Ammonium concentrations were higher under moss cover, while nitrate concentrations were higher in soil without moss cover during rainy and winter seasons. The Rmin rates were higher in soil under moss cover, indicating that moss cover promotes N transformation. In contrast, Rmin rates were negative in soil without moss cover, indicating that N immobilization was dominant in N transformation under this ground cover during the rainy season. Our research shows that mosses positively impact the nutrient status and N mineralization rates in various temperate forest types. The seasonal patterns of soil properties are strongly influenced by soil temperature, moisture, and organic carbon. Therefore, we advocate the conservation of mosses and their integration into forest management plans for better ecosystem processes and services in the ecologically fragile Himalayas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anshu Siwach
- Ecology and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Siddhartha Kaushal
- Ecology and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Kiranmay Sarma
- University School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, 110078, India
| | - Ratul Baishya
- Ecology and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
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Jech SD, Day N, Barger NN, Antoninka A, Bowker MA, Reed S, Tucker C. Cultivating Resilience in Dryland Soils: An Assisted Migration Approach to Biological Soil Crust Restoration. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2570. [PMID: 37894228 PMCID: PMC10608944 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102570] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Land use practices and climate change have driven substantial soil degradation across global drylands, impacting ecosystem functions and human livelihoods. Biological soil crusts, a common feature of dryland ecosystems, are under extensive exploration for their potential to restore the stability and fertility of degraded soils through the development of inoculants. However, stressful abiotic conditions often result in the failure of inoculation-based restoration in the field and may hinder the long-term success of biocrust restoration efforts. Taking an assisted migration approach, we cultivated biocrust inocula sourced from multiple hot-adapted sites (Mojave and Sonoran Deserts) in an outdoor facility at a cool desert site (Colorado Plateau). In addition to cultivating inoculum from each site, we created an inoculum mixture of biocrust from the Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, and Colorado Plateau. We then applied two habitat amelioration treatments to the cultivation site (growth substrate and shading) to enhance soil stability and water availability and reduce UV stress. Using marker gene sequencing, we found that the cultivated mixed inoculum comprised both local- and hot-adapted cyanobacteria at the end of cultivation but had similar cyanobacterial richness as each unmixed inoculum. All cultivated inocula had more cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene copies and higher cyanobacterial richness when cultivated with a growth substrate and shade. Our work shows that it is possible to field cultivate biocrust inocula sourced from different deserts, but that community composition shifts toward that of the cultivation site unless habitat amelioration is employed. Future assessments of the function of a mixed inoculum in restoration and its resilience in the face of abiotic stressors are needed to determine the relative benefit of assisted migration compared to the challenges and risks of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra D Jech
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Natalie Day
- Colorado Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Grand Junction, CO 81506, USA
| | - Nichole N Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Anita Antoninka
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - Matthew A Bowker
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - Sasha Reed
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Moab, UT 84532, USA
| | - Colin Tucker
- Manti-La Sal National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, Monticello, UT 84535, USA
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