Dew formation was investigated in three developmental stages of biological soil crusts (BSC), which were collected along a catena of an inland dune and in the initial substrate. The Penman equation, which was developed for saturated surfaces, was modified for unsaturated surfaces and used for prediction of dewfall rates. The levels of surface saturation required for this approach were predicted...

The hydrological characteristics of biological soil crusts (BSCs) are not well understood. In particular the relationship between runoff and BSC surfaces at relatively large (>1 m(2)) scales is ambiguous. Further, there is a dearth of information on small scale (mm to cm) hydrological characterization of crust types which severely limits any interpretation of trends at larger scales. Site diffe...

The objective of this study was to characterize the community structure and activity of N2-fixing microorganisms in mature and poorly developed biological soil crusts from both the Colorado Plateau and Chihuahuan Desert. Nitrogenase activity was approximately 10 and 2.5 times higher in mature crusts than in poorly developed crusts at the Colorado Plateau site and Chihuahuan Desert site, respect...

The specific bio-species and their spatial patterns play crucial roles in regulating eco-hydrologic process, which is significant for large-scale habitat promotion and vegetation restoration in many dry-land ecosystems. Such effects, however, are not yet fully studied. In this study, 12 micro-plots, each with size of 0.5 m in depth and 1 m in length, were constructed on a gentle grassy hill-slo...

The responses of soil respiration to environmental conditions have been studied extensively in various ecosystems. However, little is known about the impacts of temperature and moisture on soils respiration under biological soil crusts. In this study, CO2 efflux from biologically-crusted soils was measured continuously with an automated chamber system in Ningxia, northwest China, from June to O...

straw intercepted drop impact energy or surface applied powdered phospho-gypsum reduced aggregate disperSeedling emergence is the crucial first step in crop establishment; sion the infiltration rate decreased more gradually, rehowever, crops frequently must penetrate or lift a thin, dense, soil quiring approximately 45 min to reach 10 mm h 1, comlayer called a crust, which is formed by drop imp...

The biological soil crust method (BSC Method), which was established in Japan, may be a viable strategy for addressing the erosion and sedimentation problems Malaysia. However, because this has never been tested tropical environment, there is concern that it will washed away by heavy rains disturbance. Thus, identification characterization of indigenous BSC-forming algae should prioritized to e...