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Controls on Distribution Patterns of Biological Soil Crusts at Micro- to Global Scales

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Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 226))

Abstract

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are heterogeneously distributed in space, and the drivers of their distribution depend on the spatial scale of observation. Globally, there are about 1544 cyanobacteria, algae, bryophyte, and lichen species reported as components of biocrusts. At the global scale, the degree and age of isolation of land masses may dictate distribution of these species and the similarities of the floras of different continents. At intracontinental and smaller scales, climate strongly influences abundance and community composition of biocrusts. Within drylands, biocrusts become more abundant and diverse with increases in precipitation. The seasonality of rainfall is about equally important, with regions receiving the most precipitation in winter exhibiting the highest abundance. At ecoregional and smaller scales, edaphic gradients become particularly influential. The most significant soil properties influencing the cover, richness, and composition of biocrusts in dryland environments are soil texture, pH, and calcareousness. Additionally, gypsiferous soils are often associated with distinct floras and high abundance and diversity of biocrusts, especially lichens. At local to microscales, biocrusts often are better developed in habitats with lower radiation loads such as polar-oriented slopes or shaded habitats. Also at small scales, vascular plant canopies buffer microclimate for biocrusts, but also can exert negative influences such as burial by litter. While our knowledge of biocrust distribution has advanced rapidly, there are considerable geographic and taxonomic gaps in our knowledge and a pronounced lack of truly global studies.

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Acknowledgments

MAB acknowledges support from the Bureau of Land Management. N. Beaugendre, O. Malam Issa, C Valentin, JL Rajot, JF Desprats, and O Cerdan contributed to the case study “Ecoregional Patterns in the Sahel (Africa).” T. Arundel provided GIS assistance to the case study “Ecoregional Patterns on the Colorado Plateau (USA).” Amanda Williams and Elsevier kindly furnished permission to use Fig. 10.5. JB received support from the USGS Ecosystems program. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E. Pine Knoll Dr., Box 15018, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

    Matthew A. Bowker

  2. US Geological Survey, Canyonlands Research Station, Southwest Biological Science Center, 2290 S West Resource Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA

    Jayne Belnap

  3. Plant Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, 3049, 67653, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Burkhard Büdel

  4. SIRS—Systèmes d’Information à Référence Spatiale, 27, Rue du Carrousel, 59650, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France

    Christophe Sannier

  5. Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, Box 30003, MSC 3Q, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA

    Nicole Pietrasiak

  6. Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Science, University of NSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    David J. Eldridge

  7. Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Unidad de Biología, Tecnología y Prototipos, Facultad de Estudios, Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida de los Barrios Número 1, Colonia Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, C.P. 54090, Mexico

    Víctor Rivera-Aguilar

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  1. Matthew A. Bowker
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  2. Jayne Belnap
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  3. Burkhard Büdel
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  4. Christophe Sannier
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  5. Nicole Pietrasiak
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  6. David J. Eldridge
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  7. Víctor Rivera-Aguilar
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Correspondence to Matthew A. Bowker .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Plank Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany

    Bettina Weber

  2. Plant Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Burkhard Büdel

  3. Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Moab, Utah, USA

    Jayne Belnap

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Bowker, M.A. et al. (2016). Controls on Distribution Patterns of Biological Soil Crusts at Micro- to Global Scales. In: Weber, B., Büdel, B., Belnap, J. (eds) Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands. Ecological Studies, vol 226. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_10

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