Although most green algae typically occur in aquatic ecosystems, many species also live
partly or permanently under aeroterrestrial conditions, where the cells are exposed to 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 …

A committee of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) has reviewed and
updated the description of Special Regions on Mars as places where terrestrial organisms …

Dryland ecosystems account for ca. 27% of global soil organic carbon (C) reserves, yet it is
largely unknown how climate change will impact C cycling and storage in these areas. In …

Accurate species delimitations are crucial for ecological and conservation studies,
assessments of biotic diversity, and identifying factors driving diversification. Estimates …

Arid ecosystems cover∼ 40% of the Earth's terrestrial surface and store a high proportion of
the global nitrogen (N) pool. They are low-productivity, low-biomass, and polyextreme …

Since a key requirement of known life forms is available water (water activity; aw), recent
searches for signatures of past life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments have …

Lichens are one of the most iconic and ubiquitous symbioses known, widely valued as
indicators of environmental quality and, more recently, climate change. Our understanding of …

The importance of biocrusts in the ecology of arid lands across all continents is widely
recognized. In spite of this broad distribution, contributions of biocrusts to the global …

This chapter summarizes the diversity of interactions in lichen symbiosis at the taxonomic,
organismic and cellular levels. Peculiarities of lichen-dominated terrestrial ecosystems, their …