Optimizing growth chamber conditions for maintaining Arctic <scp>lichen‐dominated</scp> biocrusts

Optimizing growth chamber conditions for Arctic lichen biocrusts will create new opportunities to assess and prioritize reclamation techniques given the challenges associated with conducting arctic field work. Our study is first examine optimizing survival of biocrusts, as measured by changes in cover. We assessed effects substrate crossed depth, sterilization, inoculation community composition, watering frequency four concurrent experiments over 6 weeks on collected from Diavik Diamond Mine Inc., Northwest Territories, Canada. Mixed species declined less than Flavocetraria cucullata, affected F. cucullata time. Live cover least a 3-day depth 1 cm. Sterilization did not affect survival, no contamination was observed weeks. results highlight maintaining growing lichens under controlled conditions, only few treatments showed increases research shows that even short-term have potential screen prior assessments, permitting scientists optimize limited time resources while field.