Responses of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change have been explored in many regions
worldwide. While continued drying and warming may alter process rates and deteriorate the …

The complex interactions between biocrust properties and rainfall characteristics give rise to
partitioning of infiltration and runoff. In this review we examine primary mechanisms for …

Microbial biomass is increasingly considered to be the main source of organic carbon (C)
sequestration in soils. Quantitative information on the contribution of microbial necromass to …

Subaerial endolithic systems of the current extreme environments on Earth provide
exclusive insight into emergence and development of soils in the Precambrian when due to …

Soil evaporation is a three-stage process and plays a vital role in soil physical, chemical,
and biological processes, as well as global climate change. As an important living skin …

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) play an important role in improving soil stability and
resistance to erosion by promoting aggregation of soil particles. During initial development …

Despite a century of study by ecologists, recovery following disturbances (succession) is not
fully understood. This book provides the first global synthesis that compares plant …

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) influence hydrological and erosive processes in drylands,
and their effects increase with hypothetic successional development. Runoff and raindrops …

We tested the impact of biological soil crusts (BSC) at different degrees of development on
soil formation in Polar ecosystems, specifically in two Arctic sites, Svalbard Island (Norway) …

Disturbances to biocrusts may occur either due to human activities or natural forces. Many of
the human activities that are most likely to result in biocrust disturbance are linked to …