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Changes in winter snow depth affects photosynthesis and physiological characteristics of biological soil crusts in the Tengger Desert

  • Original paper
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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Water availability is a major limiting factor in desert ecosystems. However, a winter snowfall role in the growth of biological soil crusts is still less investigated. Here, four snow treatments were designed to evaluate the effects of snow depth on photosynthesis and physiological characteristics of biological soil crusts. Results showed that snow strongly affected the chlorophyll fluorescence properties. The increased snow depth led to increased contents of photosynthetic pigments and soluble proteins. However, all biological soil crusts also exhibited a decline in malondialdehyde and soluble sugar contents as snow increased. Results demonstrated that different biological soil crusts exhibited different responses to snow depth treatment due to differences in their morphological characteristics and microhabitat. In addition, interspecies differentiation in response to snow depth treatment might affect the survival of some biological soil crusts. Further, this influence might lead to changes in the structural composition and functional communities of biological soil crusts.

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Abbreviations

BSC:

biological soil crusts

Car:

carotenoid

Chl:

chlorophyll

Fv/Fm :

the maximum photochemical efficiency

MDA:

malondialdehyde

Yield:

the effective photochemical quantum yield of PSII

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Road 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    R. Hui, L. C. Liu, H. T. Yang, Y. L. Wang & M. Xie

  2. School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Tianshui South Road 222, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    R. M. Zhao

  3. College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Dongling Road 120, Shenyang, 110866, China

    Y. X. Li

  4. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing South Road 818, Urumqi, 730000, China

    X. Q. Wang

Authors
  1. R. Hui
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  2. R. M. Zhao
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  3. L. C. Liu
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  4. Y. X. Li
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  5. H. T. Yang
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  6. Y. L. Wang
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  7. M. Xie
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  8. X. Q. Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. M. Zhao.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This study was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41621001, 41701104, 41530746) and West Light Program for Talent Cultivation of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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Hui, R., Zhao, R.M., Liu, L.C. et al. Changes in winter snow depth affects photosynthesis and physiological characteristics of biological soil crusts in the Tengger Desert. Photosynthetica 56, 1304–1312 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0838-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0838-0

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