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Mugnai G, Pinchuk I, Borruso L, Tiziani R, Sannino C, Canini F, Turchetti B, Mimmo T, Zucconi L, Buzzini P. The hidden network of biocrust successional stages in the High Arctic: Revealing abiotic and biotic factors shaping microbial and metazoan communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171786. [PMID: 38508248 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171786] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Despite the important role that biocrust communities play in maintaining ecosystem structure and functioning in deglaciated barren soil, few studies have been conducted on the dynamics of biotic communities and the impact of physicochemical characteristics in shaping the different successional stages. In this study an integrated approach encompassing physicochemical parameters and molecular taxonomy was used for identifying the indicator taxa and the presence of intra- and inter-kingdom interactions in five different crust/biocrust successional stages: i) physical crust, ii) cyanobacteria-dominated biocrust, iii) cyanobacteria/moss-dominated biocrust, iv) moss-dominated biocrust and v) bryophyte carpet. The phylum Gemmatimonadota was the bacterial indicator taxon in the early stage, promoting both inter- and intra-kingdom interactions, while Cyanobacteria and Nematoda phyla played a pivotal role in formation and dynamics of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts. A multitrophic community, characterized by a shift from oligotrophic to copiotrophic bacteria and the presence of saproxylic arthropod and herbivore insects was found in the cyanobacteria/moss-dominated biocrust, while a more complex biota, characterized by an increased fungal abundance (classes Sordariomycetes, Leotiomycetes, and Dothideomycetes, phylum Ascomycota), associated with highly trophic consumer invertebrates (phyla Arthropoda, Rotifera, Tardigrada), was observed in moss-dominated biocrusts. The class Bdelloidea and the family Hypsibiidae (phyla Rotifera and Tardigrada, respectively) were metazoan indicator taxon in bryophyte carpet, suggesting their potential role in shaping structure and function of this late successional stage. Nitrogen and phosphorus were the main physicochemical limiting factors driving the shift among different crust/biocrust successional stages. Identification and characterization of indicator taxa, biological intra- and inter-kingdom interactions and abiotic factors driving the shift among different crust/biocrust successional stages provide a detailed picture on crust/biocrust dynamics, revealing a strong interconnection among micro- and macrobiota systems. These findings enhance our understanding of biocrust ecosystems in High Arctic, providing valuable insights for their conservation and management in response to environmental shifts due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Mugnai
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy.
| | - Irina Pinchuk
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Luigimaria Borruso
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bozen-Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Raphael Tiziani
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bozen-Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Ciro Sannino
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Fabiana Canini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo 01100, Italy
| | - Benedetta Turchetti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Tanja Mimmo
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bozen-Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo 01100, Italy
| | - Pietro Buzzini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
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Weber B, Belnap J, Büdel B, Antoninka AJ, Barger NN, Chaudhary VB, Darrouzet-Nardi A, Eldridge DJ, Faist AM, Ferrenberg S, Havrilla CA, Huber-Sannwald E, Malam Issa O, Maestre FT, Reed SC, Rodriguez-Caballero E, Tucker C, Young KE, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Zhou X, Bowker MA. What is a biocrust? A refined, contemporary definition for a broadening research community. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1768-1785. [PMID: 35584903 PMCID: PMC9545944 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) have proliferated over the last few decades. The biocrust literature has broadened, with more studies assessing and describing the function of a variety of biocrust communities in a broad range of biomes and habitats and across a large spectrum of disciplines, and also by the incorporation of biocrusts into global perspectives and biogeochemical models. As the number of biocrust researchers increases, along with the scope of soil communities defined as ‘biocrust’, it is worth asking whether we all share a clear, universal, and fully articulated definition of what constitutes a biocrust. In this review, we synthesize the literature with the views of new and experienced biocrust researchers, to provide a refined and fully elaborated definition of biocrusts. In doing so, we illustrate the ecological relevance and ecosystem services provided by them. We demonstrate that biocrusts are defined by four distinct elements: physical structure, functional characteristics, habitat, and taxonomic composition. We describe outgroups, which have some, but not all, of the characteristics necessary to be fully consistent with our definition and thus would not be considered biocrusts. We also summarize the wide variety of different types of communities that fall under our definition of biocrusts, in the process of highlighting their global distribution. Finally, we suggest the universal use of the Belnap, Büdel & Lange definition, with minor modifications: Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) result from an intimate association between soil particles and differing proportions of photoautotrophic (e.g. cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, bryophytes) and heterotrophic (e.g. bacteria, fungi, archaea) organisms, which live within, or immediately on top of, the uppermost millimetres of soil. Soil particles are aggregated through the presence and activity of these often extremotolerant biota that desiccate regularly, and the resultant living crust covers the surface of the ground as a coherent layer. With this detailed definition of biocrusts, illustrating their ecological functions and widespread distribution, we hope to stimulate interest in biocrust research and inform various stakeholders (e.g. land managers, land users) on their overall importance to ecosystem and Earth system functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Weber
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute for Biology, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010, Graz, Austria.,Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jayne Belnap
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2290 S. Resource Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Biology Institute, University of Kaiserslautern, PO Box 3049, 67653, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Anita J Antoninka
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E. Pine Knoll Drive, Box 15018, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Nichole N Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Campus Box 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - V Bala Chaudhary
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, 6182 Steele Hall, 39 College Street, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Ave, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - David J Eldridge
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Akasha M Faist
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, PO Box 30003, MSC 3-I, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA
| | - Scott Ferrenberg
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, PO Box 30001, MSC 3AF, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA
| | - Caroline A Havrilla
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, 1472 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Elisabeth Huber-Sannwald
- Division of Environmental Sciences, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José 2055, Col. 4ta Sección, CP 78216, San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico
| | - Oumarou Malam Issa
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (IEES-Paris), SU/IRD/CNRS/INRAE/UPEC, 32, Avenue Henry Varagnat, F-93143, Bondy Cedex, France
| | - Fernando T Maestre
- Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain.,Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
| | - Sasha C Reed
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2290 S. Resource Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Emilio Rodriguez-Caballero
- Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Agronomy and Centro de Investigación de Colecciones Científicas (CECOUAL), Universidad de Almería, carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120, La cañada de San Urbano, Almeria, Spain
| | - Colin Tucker
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 410 MacInnes Drive, Houghton, MI, 49931-1134, USA
| | - Kristina E Young
- Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources, Utah State University, 1850 S. Aggie Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Yuanming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Bejing Road, Urumqi City, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yunge Zhao
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, 26 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xiaobing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Bejing Road, Urumqi City, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Matthew A Bowker
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E. Pine Knoll Drive, Box 15018, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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