Do development stages of biological soil crusts determine activity and functional diversity in a sand-dune ecosystem?

Yu, Jun; Kidron, Giora J.; Pen-Mouratov, Stanislav; Wasserstrom, Haggai; Barness, G.; Steinberger, Yosef

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.04.007

Cited by 48 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…By facilitating the quantitative assessment of the amounts of water reaching the depressions, the use of SPs will enable a better understanding of the interrelations between physiological properties of plants, water availability, and the plant's distributional patterns (Pockman and Sperry, 2000). This will facilitate a better link between water, productivity and fecundity (Brooks, 2003;Eckstein, 2005), and may also serve as a potent tool for the assessment of microbial (Yu et al, 2012) as well as for soil forming (McFadden et al, 1998) processes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sink plot for runoff measurements on semi-flat terrains: preliminary data and their potential hydrological and ecological implications

Kidron

2014

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

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Abstract:In arid and semiarid regions where water is the main limiting factor, water redistribution is regarded as an important hydrological process of great ecological value. By providing additional water to certain loci, moist pockets of great productivity are formed, characterized by high plant biomass and biological activity. These moist pockets are often a result of runon. Yet, although runoff may take place on semi-flat undulating surfaces, runoff measurements are thus far confined to slopes, where a sufficient gradient facilitates downslope water harvesting. On undulating surfaces of mounds and depressions, such as in interdunes, no quantification of the amount of water reaching depressions is feasible due to the fact that no reliable method for measuring the runoff amounts in semi-flat terrains is available. The current paper describes specific runoff plots, designed to measure runoff in depressions (sinks). These plots, termed sink plots (SPs), were operative in the Hallamish dunefield (Negev Desert, Israel). The paper presents measurements of runoff yield that were carried out between January 2013 and January 2014 on SPs and compared them to runoff obtained from crusted slope plots and fine-grained (playa) surfaces. The potential hydrological and ecological implications of water redistribution within semi-flat terrains for this and other arid ecosystems are discussed.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sink plot for runoff measurements on semi-flat terrains: preliminary data and their potential hydrological and ecological implications

Kidron

2014

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

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“…For example, it was shown that under acidic conditions, EPSs are hydrolyzed to galactose, glucose, and mannose, thus stimulating the activity of microorganisms capable of utilizing these carbohydrates (Mazor et al 1996). It was also previously shown that carboxylic and amino acids are two preferentially utilized C-sources in BSCs (Yu et al 2012), inducing the presence of specific consumers. In the present study, it was found that the relative abundances of glucose, mannose, and galactose vary even considering IBSCs of the same age, suggesting differences in utilization rates between microbial communities living in crusts at a very close distance one to another.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, it points out once again the contribution of the phototrophic microbial fraction in the synthesis of the EPS matrix of IBSCs, being these acidic sugars present in most of the EPSs synthesized by cyanobacteria and microalgae (Rossi and De Philippis 2015). The increase in the uronic acids content of the EPS matrix may also contribute to establish the acidic conditions needed for the chemical hydrolysis of the polymeric sugars (Yu et al 2012), in this way favoring the flourishing of the chemoheterotrophs residing in the crusts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a well-developed BSC, the EPS-based matrix is usually synthesized by pioneer organisms, such as filamentous cyanobacteria, or by later colonizing microalgae and microfungi (Belnap 2001), while it is contemporarily decomposed and consumed by the microcosm that feeds on it (Yu et al 2012;Chen et al 2014). EPSs represent a notable C-source, which is readily available to the heterotrophic members of the community (Mager and Thomas 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differentiation of the characteristics of excreted extracellular polysaccharides reveals the heterogeneous primary succession of induced biological soil crusts

Colica

Rossi

et al. 2015

J Appl Phycol

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In this study, the chemical composition and the macromolecular features of the extracellular polysaccharidic (EPS) matrix of induced biological soil crusts (IBSCs) of different age, collected in the hyper-arid plateau of Hobq desert, Inner Mongolia, China, were investigated. No statistically significant correlation between the amount of extracellular carbohydrates (i.e., monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides) and the age of IBSCs was found. On the other hand, the relative abundance of uronic acid in the EPSs increased with the maturation of the crusts. In the EPSs of the investigated samples, glucose, mannose, galactose, and uronic acids were the sugars showing the widest variations in their relative abundance, explaining much of the variance of the data. Results also showed higher relative contents of EPSs with high MW in the oldest IBSCs. It is possible to conclude that the characteristics of the EPS of the matrix of the investigated IBSCs cannot only be put in relation with the age of the crusts and the activity of phototrophic microorganisms, but most properly, it has to be taken into account the biotic interactions ongoing between EPS producers and consumers.

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“…BSCs form a ground cover and are frequently found in arid and semiarid regions (Belnap, 2003), where they have important ecological functions (Bowker et al, 2010;Bu et al, 2015a;Viles, 2008;Yu et al, 2012;) and positively affect soil and water conservation (Bu et al, 2015b). The ecological functions of BSCs and their potential effects on desertification are also attracting more attention, as any change in their cover or biomass may impact the entire ecosystem .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution of biological soil crusts on the slope of the Chinese Loess Plateau based on canonical correspondence analysis

Zhang²,

Wang³

et al. 2016

CATENA

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Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are a living ground cover widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions, and providing important ecological functions in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. An understanding of the spatial distribution patterns of BSCs is foundational for the scientific management of this resource. In this study, a typical slope was selected from a small watershed, Liudaogou, in the wind-water erosion crisscross region of the Loess Plateau in northwest China. The spatial distribution characteristics of BSCs and associated influencing factors were investigated at the slope scale via a comprehensive survey and statistical analysis using GS+ and CANOCO statistical software. The results showed that the distribution of BSCs was clearly spatially differentiated, with the majority of BSCs widely and continuously distributed in sandy areas at a mean coverage of greater than 30%. Sporadic distribution of BSCs was observed in loess areas mainly at the edges of slopes with a mean coverage of generally less than 20%. The thickness and shear strength of the BSCs did not present significant spatial variation, indicating that these two BSC indices were primarily associated with the age and developmental stage of the BSC which was relatively constant throughout the study area. A canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the spatial distribution of BSCs was closely correlated with soil type, vegetation, surface soil moisture content, slope and aspect. Among these factors, soil type had the most significant impact on BSC distribution and explained 20% of the spatial variation of BSCs. The vegetation community type and topographic wetness index were the secondary influencing factors, and sagebrush (Artemisia desertorum) shrubland and aspen (Populus simonii) woodland provided the most ideal growth environments for BSCs. Other factors such as slope, aspect and solar radiation also affected BSC distribution to a certain degree. Overall, BSCs were clearly selective for topography, soil type and vegetation community and preferentially grew in humid areas with psammophytic plant communities.

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Do development stages of biological soil crusts determine activity and functional diversity in a sand-dune ecosystem?

Cited by 48 publications

References 43 publications

Sink plot for runoff measurements on semi-flat terrains: preliminary data and their potential hydrological and ecological implications

Sink plot for runoff measurements on semi-flat terrains: preliminary data and their potential hydrological and ecological implications

Differentiation of the characteristics of excreted extracellular polysaccharides reveals the heterogeneous primary succession of induced biological soil crusts

Spatial distribution of biological soil crusts on the slope of the Chinese Loess Plateau based on canonical correspondence analysis

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