Biological Soil Crusts Structure Function And Management
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Biological Soil Crusts Structure Function And Management
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Author : Jayne Belnap
language : en
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Release Date : 2013-12-01
Biological Soil Crusts Structure Function And Management written by Jayne Belnap and has been published by Springer Science & Business Media this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-12-01 with Science categories.
In arid lands, where vegetation is sparse or absent, the open ground is not bare but generally covered by a community of small, highly specialized organisms. Cyanobacteria, algae, microfungi, lichens, and bryophytes aggregate soil particles to form a coherent skin - the biological soil crust. It stabilizes and protects the soil surface from erosion by wind and water, influences water runoff and infiltration, and contributes nitrogen and carbon to desert soils. Soil surface disturbance, such as heavy livestock grazing, human trampling or off-road vehicles, breaks up the fragile soil crust, thus compromising its stability, structure, and productivity. This book is the first synthesis of the biology of soil crusts and their importance as an ecosystem component. Composition and functioning of different soil-crust types are discussed, and case studies are used to show the impact of crusts on landscape hydrology, soil stability, nutrient cycles, and land management.
Biological Soil Crusts
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Author : Jayne Belnap
language : en
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Release Date : 2002-10-24
Biological Soil Crusts written by Jayne Belnap and has been published by Springer Science & Business Media this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2002-10-24 with Law categories.
Soil fungi, microbes, microfauna, nitrogen fixation, hydrology, erosion, global change
Biological Soil Crusts An Organizing Principle In Drylands
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Author : Bettina Weber
language : en
Publisher: Springer
Release Date : 2016-05-21
Biological Soil Crusts An Organizing Principle In Drylands written by Bettina Weber and has been published by Springer this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2016-05-21 with Nature categories.
This volume summarizes our current understanding of biological soil crusts (biocrusts), which are omnipresent in dryland regions. Since they cover the soil surface, they influence, or even control, all surface exchange processes. Being one of the oldest terrestrial communities, biocrusts comprise a high diversity of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens and bryophytes together with uncounted bacteria, and fungi. The authors show that biocrusts are an integral part of dryland ecosystems, stabilizing soils, influencing plant germination and growth, and playing a key role in carbon, nitrogen and water cycling. Initial attempts have been made to use biocrusts as models in ecological theory. On the other hand, biocrusts are endangered by local disruptions and global change, highlighting the need for enhanced recovery methods. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the fascinating field of biocrust research, making it indispensable not only for scientists in this area, but also for land managers, policy makers, and anyone interested in the environment.
Terrestrial Cryptogams Of Pinyon Juniper Woodlands In The Southwestern United States
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Author : Juanita A. R. Ladyman
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1996
Terrestrial Cryptogams Of Pinyon Juniper Woodlands In The Southwestern United States written by Juanita A. R. Ladyman and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1996 with Cryptogams categories.
The Biology Of Arid Soils
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Author : Blaire Steven
language : en
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Release Date : 2017-07-24
The Biology Of Arid Soils written by Blaire Steven and has been published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-07-24 with Nature categories.
Soils have been called the most complex microbial ecosystems on Earth. A single gram of soil can harbor millions of microbial cells and thousands of species. However, certain soil environments, such as those experiencing dramatic change exposing new initial soils or that are limited in precipitation, limit the number of species able to survive in these systems. In this respect, these environments offer unparalleled opportunities to uncover the factors that control the development and maintenance of complex microbial ecosystems. This book collects chapters that discuss the abiotic factors that structure arid and initial soil communities as well as the diversity and structure of the biological communities in these soils from viruses to plants.
Soil Erosion The Greatest Challenge For Sustainable Soil Management
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Author : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
language : en
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Release Date : 2019-05-16
Soil Erosion The Greatest Challenge For Sustainable Soil Management written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and has been published by Food & Agriculture Org. this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-05-16 with Technology & Engineering categories.
Despite almost a century of research and extension efforts, soil erosion by water, wind and tillage continues to be the greatest threat to soil health and soil ecosystem services in many regions of the world. Our understanding of the physical processes of erosion and the controls on those processes has been firmly established. Nevertheless, some elements remain controversial. It is often these controversial questions that hamper efforts to implement sound erosion control measures in many areas of the world. This book, released in the framework of the Global Symposium on Soil Erosion (15-17 May 2019) reviews the state-of-the-art information related to all topics related to soil erosion.
The Architecture And Biology Of Soils
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Author : Karl Ritz
language : en
Publisher: CABI
Release Date : 2011
The Architecture And Biology Of Soils written by Karl Ritz and has been published by CABI this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2011 with Technology & Engineering categories.
Soil is a fundamental and critical component of terrestrial ecosystems, but one that is often overlooked. It is an extremely complex environment, both in terms of its physical structure and in that it supports levels of biodiversity far greater than those found above ground in any ecosystem. Bringing together existing knowledge across many areas of soil biology and physics, this book develops the concept of soil architecture and explores key characteristics of the remarkable `inner space' of the soil. The authors consider how such structure develops through time and the consequences this has for life underground. They also explore the interactions between the biological and physical components of the soil and how they relate to its many functions, in order to demonstrate the key role of soil architecture in underpinning ecosystem dynamics. The diverse but richly interrelated perspectives offered in this book make it an essential resource for researchers and students in soil and environmental sciences, terrestrial ecology, plant sciences and microbiology.
Rainfed Farming Systems
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Author : Philip Tow
language : en
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Release Date : 2011-09-16
Rainfed Farming Systems written by Philip Tow and has been published by Springer Science & Business Media this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2011-09-16 with Technology & Engineering categories.
While a good grasp of the many separate aspects of agriculture is important, it is equally essential for all those involved in agriculture to understand the functioning of the farming system as a whole and how it can be best managed. It is necessary to re-assess and understand rain-fed farming systems around the world and to find ways to improve the selection, design and operation of such systems for long term productivity, profitability and sustainability. The components of the system must operate together efficiently; yet many of the relationships and interactions are not clearly understood. Appreciation of these matters and how they are affected by external influences or inputs are important for decision making and for achieving desirable outcomes for the farm as a whole. This book analyses common rain-fed farming systems and defines the principles and practices important to their effective functioning and management.
Biological Soil Crusts Spatio Temporal Development And Ecological Functions Of Soil Surface Microbial Communities Across Different Scales
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Author : Shubin Lan
language : en
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Release Date : 2024-08-09
Biological Soil Crusts Spatio Temporal Development And Ecological Functions Of Soil Surface Microbial Communities Across Different Scales written by Shubin Lan and has been published by Frontiers Media SA this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2024-08-09 with Science categories.
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widely distributed throughout the world, and cover approximately 12% of the terrestrial surface. Biocrusts are composed of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, mosses, and a great diversity of other microorganisms, which bind soil particles together to form a layer of biological-soil matrix on the soil surface typically of several millimetres thickness. They are important sites of regional and global microbial diversity and perform multiple ecological functions (multifunctionality). During the evolution of terrestrial life on earth, biocrusts are regarded as the main colonising photosynthetic organisms before the advent of vascular vegetation. They not only represent the early stages of terrestrial ecosystems, but also facilitate the ecosystem’s development and succession. Therefore, biocrusts are recognised as ecological engineers in the natural development of ecosystems and for the restoration of degraded terrestrial ecosystems. The development of biocrusts is highly heterogeneous, which is reflected on both temporal and spatial scales, and this heterogeneity is still clearly visible even in a small scale. However, up to now, only limited knowledge is acquired on biocrust temporal and spatial organisation. In particular there still is a large knowledge gap regarding the various biocrust communities under different developmental states and their related physiological metabolisms and ecological functions. Therefore, in-depth studies of these issues will undoubtedly further promote our understanding of the heterogeneous development of biocrusts, as well as their ecological multifunctionality in terrestrial ecosystems. The relevant contributions are expected to provide a scientific basis for the management of biocrusts and technology development (e.g. cyanobacteria-induced biocrust technology) for ecological restoration and the promotion of soil health.
The Role Of Physical And Biological Soil Crusts On The Water Balance In Semiarid Ecosystems
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Author : Sonia Chamizo de la Piedra
language : en
Publisher: Universidad Almería
Release Date : 2014-11-06
The Role Of Physical And Biological Soil Crusts On The Water Balance In Semiarid Ecosystems written by Sonia Chamizo de la Piedra and has been published by Universidad Almería this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2014-11-06 with categories.
In arid and semiarid areas, the interplant spaces are usually covered by physical and biological soil crusts. These crusts, though representing an almost negligible portion of the soil profile, have a number of crucial roles. Soil crusts form the boundary between soil and atmosphere and therefore control gas, water and nutrient exchange into and through soils. Concretely, in the last decade, the study of biological soil crusts (BSCs) (complex communities of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, lichens, mosses and other microorganisms in intimate association with soil particles) has drawn the attention of a growing number of researchers due to the key role they play in numerous processes in the ecosystems where they appear. Unlike physical crusts, BSCs protect soils against erosion by water and wind, and increase soil fertility by fixing atmospheric C and N, synthesising polysaccharides and reducing nutrient losses by runoff and erosion. Through their influence on numerous properties that affect how water moves though soils such as roughness, porosity, hydrophobicity, cracking, and albedo, BSCs play a key role in water processes, such as infiltration and runoff, evaporation and soil moisture. It is widely known the role of physical crusts in decreasing soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity, thus decreasing infiltration. However, there is controversy regarding the role of BSCs in infiltration and runoff processes. Some studies indicate that BSCs increase infiltration, and consequently, decrease runoff, whereas others have reported that they decrease infiltration and increase runoff or that they have no effect on either of them. In addition, the influence of BSCs on other soil water balance components such as evaporation and soil moisture has hardly been studied and the scarce existing studies also show contradicting results. With the aim of enlightening the role that BSCs play in the water balance in semiarid areas, in this thesis it has been analysed the influence of different soil crust types, physical crusts and various developmental stages of BSCs, on key soil water balance components such as infiltration-runoff, evaporation and soil moisture, at plot scale. Furthermore, to better understand how these crusts affect hydrological processes, the influence of the type of crust and developmental stage of the crust on different properties that affect water movement and retention in soils has been analysed. Last, spectral characteristics of the different crust types, as well as of vegetation, have been examined with the aim of developing a spectral classification system for differentiation of these common ground covers in semiarid areas that allows their mapping and the modelling of the effects of the crusted areas on hydrological and erosion processes on larger spatial scales (hillslope and catchment). To conduct this research, two areas where BSCs are widespread and that represent key spatial distributions of BSCs in semiarid ecosystems were chosen in the province of Almeria (SE Spain): El Cautivo (in the Tabernas Desert), a badlands catchment with silty-loam textured soils, and Las Amoladeras (in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park), a flat area with sandy-loam textured soils. Our results show that BSCs increase aggregate stability, water retention capacity, and organic carbon and total nitrogen content compared to physical crusts and, within BSCs, these properties increase in the crust and the underlying soil as the crust is more developed (in terms of greater biomass and later-successional species composition). The increase in soil properties with the presence of BSCs is especially noticeable in the top layer of soil (0.01 m) and decreases with depth (0.01-0.05 m) (Chapter I). Through their effect increasing surface roughness and physico-chemical soil properties, BSCs increase infiltration and decrease runoff compared to physical crusts. In general, infiltration increases with greater BSC development (Chapter II). However, there are exceptions to this general pattern that are conditioned by other factors such as the spatial scale under study or the type of rainfall. At small plot sizes (0.25 m2) and after 1h-high intensity simulated rainfall (50 mmh-1), we found that well-developed BSCs such as lichens, generate higher runoff rates than less developed BSCs as cyanobacteria, and similar runoff rates to physical crusts (Chapter II). Thus, at microplot scales and under extreme events, the effect of well-developed BSCs in enhancing infiltration due to their greater roughness can be overcome by their ability to clog soil pores when wet, thus increasing runoff. However, when the influence of BSCs on infiltration and runoff is analysed under natural rain events and at larger spatial scales (1-10 m2), we found that, in low intensity rainfalls, runoff decreases with the cover of well-developed BSCs (lichens) and this effect is higher as the plot size increases (Chapter III). Such decrease in runoff with the presence of well-developed BSCs is due to the microtopography that these crusts confer to soils. Under high intensity rainfalls, BSC cover has no significant effect on runoff yield and the main factor acting to determine runoff generation is rainfall intensity (Chapter III). The removal of the crust initially causes infiltration to increase. But this effect diminishes over time as raindrop impact reseals the surface and a new physical crust is formed that increases runoff (Chapter II). Moreover, crust disturbance by trampling but, especially by removal, causes a dramatic increase in erosion (Chapter II). Erosion also depends on the type of BSC. Well-developed crusts as lichens and mosses generate lower erosion rates than less developed crusts as cyanobacteria. Regarding the influence of BSCs on soil evaporation, under saturation conditions and warm ambient temperatures, soil water loss is quick in all types of surfaces and no significant differences are found in soils with or without BSCs (Chapter V). However, during long cold wet periods, soil water loss is faster in soils devoid of BSCs than in those covered by them. Thus, BSC-crusted soils maintain more soil moisture at the upper soil layer (0.03 m) than adjacent soils where the BSC has been removed, during wet periods. At deeper soil (0.10 m), soil moisture is similar in both BSC-crusted and uncrusted soils. The removal of the BSC causes a higher decrease in soil moisture in fine-textured soils (Cautivo), where the presence of BSCs has a stronger influence on increasing porosity and infiltration, than in coarse-textured soils (Las Amoladeras). During dry soil periods, soil moisture is similar in soils with or without BSCs (Chapter V). Last, a quantitative analysis of spectral characteristics of vegetation, physical crusts and BSC developmental stages has demonstrated the possibility of classifying these common ground covers in semiarid areas based on distinctive spectral features (Chapter VI). The application of the classification system developed to multi and hiperspectral provides the possibility for future mapping of spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of BSCs, which is crucial to incorporating the effects of crusted surfaces in current hydrological and erosion models. Summarizing, compared to physical crusts, the presence of BSCs increase physico-chemical properties of underlying soils, especially in the first centimeters of soil, and this enhancement is greater as the BSC is more developed. Due to this increase in soil properties and the higher roughness that BSCs provide to soils, BSCs increase water input by increasing infiltration and soil moisture, and soil moisture, and reduce water output by reducing soil evaporation. Hence, compared to physical crusts, the presence of BSCs and, especially the presence of well-developed BSCs, have an overall positive effect on the local water balance in semiarid ecosystems, in addition to having a major role in protecting soils from erosion.