Synthesis on biological soil crust research
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Abstract
In this closing chapter, we summarize the advances in biocrust research made during the last 1.5 decades. In the first part of the chapter, we discuss how in some research fields, such as the microbial diversity of fungi, bacteria, and microfauna; the interaction between biocrusts and vascular plants; and in the rehabilitation of biocrusts; particularly large achievements have been made. In other fields, previously established knowledge of overall patterns has been corroborated and refined by additional studies, e.g., in the fields of soil stabilization and disturbance effects. In the second part of the chapter, we outline the research gaps and challenges foreseen by us. We identify multiple knowledge gaps, including many understudied geographic regions, the largely missing link between genetic and morphological species identification data, and the answers to some mechanistic questions, such as the overall role of biocrusts in hydrology and nutrient cycles. With some ideas on promising new research questions and approaches we close this chapter and the overall book.
| Publication type | Book chapter |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Book Chapter |
| Title | Synthesis on biological soil crust research |
| DOI | 10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_25 |
| Year Published | 2016 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
| Contributing office(s) | Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Book |
| Larger Work Title | Ecological studies |
| First page | 527 |
| Last page | 534 |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |