Structural characteristics of the moss (bryophyte) layer and its underlying soil structure and water retention characteristics

Hu, Xia; Gao, Zhou; Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, R.; Wang, Yuanming

doi:10.1007/s11104-023-06079-3

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…On the contrary, moss crust has a positive effect on soil water retention (X. Hu et al, 2023), but this effect is obviously weakened with the disappearance of the "wet island effect" of shrubs. Additionally, shrub mortality decreased soil pH values in both bare sand and moss crusts (Figure 2b).…”

Section: Effects Of Shrub Mortality On Soil Nutrient Multifunctionalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Moss crusts mitigate the negative impacts of shrub mortality on the nutrient multifunctionality of desert soils

Zhang,

Yin,

Zhang

et al. 2023

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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The distribution of biological soil crusts (BSCs) and shrubs in temperate deserts often forms a common landscape surface feature. As climate change continues, desert shrubs experience varying rates of mortality, which can have severe negative impacts on soil structure and functions. However, it remains uncertain whether moss crusts, prevalent beneath shrub canopies, can mitigate the effects of shrub mortality on soil nutrient environments. Therefore, this study focuses on the Gurbantunggut Desert, a typical temperate desert in northern China, with a primary focus on the dominant shrubs, Ephedra przewalskii, and the advanced stage of moss crust development within BSCs. We collected soil samples from bare sand and moss crusts under living shrubs and dead shrubs and analyzed them for their carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents. Additionally, we calculated soil nutrient multifunctionality, which measures a soil's ability to sustain multiple ecosystem services simultaneously, to provide a comprehensive assessment of the effects of shrub mortality on soil nutrient function. Our results indicate that shrub mortality led to reductions in soil moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, and levels of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in exposed sand compared to the sand under living shrubs. However, the presence of moss crusts significantly alleviated the adverse effects of shrub mortality on soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels. The nutrient multifunctionality index of the moss crust only decreased by 4%, while bare sand experienced a 67% reduction following shrub mortality. Standard error of the mean analysis results revealed that when shrubs and crusts coexisted, the impact of shrubs on soil nutrient multifunctionality was much stronger than that of the moss crust. Specifically, total nutrient content was the most influential factor driving changes in soil nutrient multifunctionality. In conclusion, in desert ecosystems with declining shrubs, moss crusts can mitigate the reduction in soil nutrient contents caused by shrub degradation, thereby maintaining soil stability and nutrient multifunctionality as a viable substitute.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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Section: Effects Of Shrub Mortality On Soil Nutrient Multifunctionalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Moss crusts mitigate the negative impacts of shrub mortality on the nutrient multifunctionality of desert soils

Zhang,

Yin,

Zhang

et al. 2023

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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“…Forest ecosystems maintain and protect soil and regulate water circulation, preventing land degradation and desertification and reducing the risk of natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and landslides (Brockerhoff et al, 2017). For example, the root systems of trees stabilize the ground and limit water and wind erosion (Pawlik, 2013) while the moss layer of coniferous forests can store large amounts of water, significantly reducing the volume and intensity of surface runoff (Hu et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential of Polish forests to provide ecosystem services

Affek,

Solon,

Kowalska

et al. 2024

Geogr. Pol.

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Polish forests differ in their potential to provide ecosystem services (ES), but it is unclear how and to what extent. We assessed the potential of 35 forest habitat types to provide 17 key ES and showed that the montane mesic broadleaved forest has a high potential to provide the largest number of key forest services (14 out of 17), which gives it the status of a multi-service hotspot. The highest overall potential was found in the forests of mountain regions, slightly lower in the postglacial northern regions, and the lowest in the central lowland regions.

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“…In this context, Siwach et al (2021) also observed higher moisture contents under moss compared with bare soil in a temperate forest of the Indian Garhwal Himalaya during the monsoon, which was reversed in winter with far less precipitation. Recently, Hu et al (2023) showed that more water can be stored in soils under moss than in soils without moss cover, with increases in water storage capacity of up to 57% an even higher increase was measured in the plant-available water content (110% increase compared with no moss cover). These positive effects on soil water retention were primarily attributed to better pore distribution and the accumulation of organic matter under mosses (Hu et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, Hu et al (2023) showed that more water can be stored in soils under moss than in soils without moss cover, with increases in water storage capacity of up to 57% an even higher increase was measured in the plant-available water content (110% increase compared with no moss cover). These positive effects on soil water retention were primarily attributed to better pore distribution and the accumulation of organic matter under mosses (Hu et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water’s path from moss to soil Vol. 2: How soil-moss combinations affect the soil water balance and soil erosion

Gall,

Nebel,

Scholten

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Mosses are key components of many ecosystems and particularly related to the soil water balance. In principle, the importance of mosses for water-related processes is known; however, their influence is rarely quantified in scientific studies. To fill this research gap, this study concentrates on the influence of mosses of different species on surface runoff, the amount of percolated water, soil erosion, and the temporal dynamics of soil water content. For this purpose, an experimental approach consisting of an ex situ rainfall simulation with infiltration boxes equipped with biocrust wetness probes was applied. On average, mosses significantly reduced surface runoff by 91% and soil erosion by almost 100%, while the amount of percolated water was increased by 85% compared with bare soils. Similarly, the moss treatments tended to have lower water contents in 3 cm soil depth during 30 minutes of rainfall simulations compared to the bare treatments. However, specific effects of moss treatments were superimposed by desiccation cracks as well as soil hydrophobicity, two major factors that clearly override individual species effects. Therefore, it is imperative that further experiments will be conducted to elucidate the apparently underestimated effects of mosses and their specific traits on the soil water balance and sediment transport.

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Structural characteristics of the moss (bryophyte) layer and its underlying soil structure and water retention characteristics

Cited by 9 publications

References 47 publications

Moss crusts mitigate the negative impacts of shrub mortality on the nutrient multifunctionality of desert soils

Moss crusts mitigate the negative impacts of shrub mortality on the nutrient multifunctionality of desert soils

The potential of Polish forests to provide ecosystem services

Water’s path from moss to soil Vol. 2: How soil-moss combinations affect the soil water balance and soil erosion

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