Divergence in physiological responses between cyanobacterial and lichen crusts to a gradient of simulated nitrogen deposition

Zhou, Xiaobing; Zhang, Yuan Ming; Yin, Benfeng

doi:10.1007/s11104-015-2687-y

Cited by 27 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Until now, only one study has recorded terrestrial algae in soils with an EC Sat up to 260 mS cm −1 (Tsujimura et al, 1998). Other studies on biocrusts on saline soils reported only sites with EC Sat values <30 mS cm −1 (e.g., Fox et al, 2009;Kidron, 2016;Sandoval Pérez et al, 2016;Schulz et al, 2016;Zhou et al, 2016;Ghiloufi et al, 2017;Kakeh et al, 2018). In the present study, however, much higher ranges of EC Sat (up to 950 mS cm −1 ) were documented, emphasizing the extreme soil salinities of the sampling sites.…”

Section: Soil Characteristics Reflect Extremely Saline Environmentscontrasting

confidence: 67%

Halophilic Algal Communities in Biological Soil Crusts Isolated From Potash Tailings Pile Areas

2020

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Mining potash for fertilizer produces vast amounts of highly saline waste that is deposited in potash tailings piles. Rainfall washes the salts out, affecting the surrounding ecosystems. Only salt-tolerant organisms occur close to the piles, since other species cannot survive in these hypersaline conditions. Halophytic plant communities around tailings piles have been well investigated. However, studies exploring the biodiversity of the space behind the vegetation line that separates suitable salinities for plant growth from hostile conditions are rare. On top of the tailings piles, only microorganisms thrive. This study, for the first time, explored the microalgae and cyanobacteria in biocrusts that inhabit potash tailings pile areas between the vegetation line and the pile body. Two biocrust types were studied: young biocrusts at or close to the tailings piles, and established biocrusts situated in the near surroundings. The estimated abundance of green algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms was studied using a direct microscopy approach, followed by the isolation and establishment of unialgal strains and morphological species determinations. Soil environmental characteristics were analyzed. Soil samples showed EC Sat (electrical conductivity) values that drastically exceeded the scales commonly used to describe soil salinity, indicating extremely saline conditions. Indeed, the isolate composition was shaped by soil salinity parameters. Soil EC Sat of young biocrusts tended to be higher than in established biocrusts, and filamentous green algae were most abundant. In contrast, established biocrusts tended to have a lower EC Sat and were mostly dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria. Algal and cyanobacteria isolate composition differed significantly in young and established biocrusts, although the species number did not. Some of the salt-tolerant algal strains are assumed to be candidates for the formation of artificial biocrusts on the surface of the tailings. Attempts to "green" the piles by the establishment of higher plants to trap rainwater and therefore reduce the salt-output are difficult to apply. Plants require a thick layer of substrate to reduce the salinity, and the substrate easily erodes on the steep slopes. However, microalgae isolated from potash tailings pile areas seem promising, since they can survive on a thinner substrate layer and are already adapted to these hypersaline conditions.

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Section: Soil Characteristics Reflect Extremely Saline Environmentscontrasting

confidence: 67%

Halophilic Algal Communities in Biological Soil Crusts Isolated From Potash Tailings Pile Areas

2020

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“…In addition, the redundant oxygen and peroxides can be eliminated by synthesizing superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and other antioxidant enzymes34353637. These osmotic adjustment substances and antioxidants can also be synthesized by plants when they are subjected to salt stress, heavy metal pollution, UV-B radiation and other stress environments38394041. Studies have also shown that the responses to UV-B radiation involve the increase of the relative proportions of photo-protective compounds in plants, such as β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin1842.…”

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confidence: 99%

Impacts of the removal of shrubs on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Syntrichia caninervis Mitt: in a temperate desert

Yin

Zhang

Lou

2017

Sci Rep

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Moss crusts play important roles in biological soil crusts biomass and soil surface stabilization. However, because of increasingly intensive human activities, especially grazing, the growth and survival of shrubs are seriously threatened. This study aimed to test whether the presence of shrubs affects the physiological state of the bryophyte Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. in this desert ecosystem. We simulated animal-grazed shrubs at three levels in the Gurbantunggut Desert and compared these simulations to exposed areas, measuring the indicators of growth and stress tolerance exhibited by bryophytes. The results showed that the removal of shrubs significantly decreased chlorophyll fluorescence activity and soluble protein content in S. caninervis, especially under the total shrub removal treatment. The ratio between the total removal of shrubs and other treatments in antioxidative enzymes and in osmotic adjustment substances of S. caninervis exhibited two types of responses. With the exception of malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the variables examined fitted as downward parabolic then upward parabolic temporal dynamics. The removal of shrubs is harmful to the survival of S.caninervis. In resource-constrained conditions, SOD is an important antioxidant enzyme that of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and osmotic adjustment substances, for S. caninervis survival.

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“…The dominant plants are Haloxylon ammodendron and H. persicum [43]. In addition to this, there are many biological soil crusts, containing cyanobacteria-dominated, lichen-dominated, and moss-dominated crusts [44]. The soil in the desert has a sandy texture, with sand (0.05-2 mm) content, 85%; silt (0.002-0.05 mm) content, 13.7%; and clay (< 0.002 mm) content, 1.3%.…”

Section: Measurement Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Dew Yield and Its Influencing Factors at the Western Edge of Gurbantunggut Desert, China

Jia

Zhao

2019

Water

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Dew is a significant water resource in arid desert areas. However, information regarding dew is scarce because it is difficult to measure due to the harsh environment of locations such as Gurbantunggut Desert, China. In this study, a non-destructive field experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2018 at a desert test station located in the western edge of the Gurbantunggut Desert, using a calibrated leaf wetness sensor (LWS) to measure dew yield. The results are as follows: (1) Dew formed after sunset with the atmospheric temperature gradually dropping and evaporated after sunrise with the temperature increasing in the second morning. (2) Dew was featured as ‘high frequency and low yield’. The average daily dew yield during dew days was 0.10 mm with a daily maximum of 0.62 mm, while dew days accounted for 44% of the total monitoring days, with a monthly maximum of 25 days. Compared with rainfall, dew days were two times as frequent as rainy days, while the average annual dewfall (12.21 mm) was about 1/11th of the average annual rainfall (134.6 mm), which indicates the dew contribution to regional water balance is about 9%. (3) March–April and October–November are the main periods of dew occurrence in this region because accumulated snow begins to melt slowly in March–April, providing sufficient vapor for dew formation, and the air temperature difference between day and night in October–November is the highest in the year, meaning that the temperature drops rapidly at night, making it easier to reach the dewpoint for vapor condensation. (4) Daily dew yield (D) was positively correlated to relative humidity (RH) and the difference between soil temperature at 10 cm below the ground and surface soil temperature (Tss), and negatively correlated to wind speed (V), air temperature (Ta), surface soil temperature (Ts), cloud cover (N), dewpoint temperature (Td) and the difference between air temperature and dewpoint temperature (Tad). It should be noted that the measured values of all factors above were the average value of the overnight period. The multivariate regression equation, D = −0.705 + 0.011 ×RH− 0.006 ×N− 0.01 × V, can estimate the daily dew yield with the thresholds of the parameters, i.e., RH > 70%, N < 7 (oktas) and V < 6 m/s.

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Divergence in physiological responses between cyanobacterial and lichen crusts to a gradient of simulated nitrogen deposition

Cited by 27 publications

References 76 publications

Halophilic Algal Communities in Biological Soil Crusts Isolated From Potash Tailings Pile Areas

Halophilic Algal Communities in Biological Soil Crusts Isolated From Potash Tailings Pile Areas

Impacts of the removal of shrubs on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Syntrichia caninervis Mitt: in a temperate desert

Dew Yield and Its Influencing Factors at the Western Edge of Gurbantunggut Desert, China

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