Studies of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) have proliferated over the last few decades. The
biocrust literature has broadened, with more studies assessing and describing the function …

Aims This review was developed to introduce the essential components and variants of
structural equation modeling (SEM), synthesize the common issues in SEM applications …

In this perspectives paper we highlight a heretofore underused statistical method in soil
ecological research, structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM is commonly used in the …

Despite the fact that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) associations are among the most ancient,
abundant and important symbioses in terrestrial ecosystems, there are currently few unifying …

Background and aims Soil aggregation is a crucial aspect of ecosystem functioning in
terrestrial ecosystems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in soil aggregate …

Water and nutrients are scarce resources in arid and semiarid ecosystems. In these regions,
biological soil crusts (BSCs) occupy a large part of the soil surface in the open spaces …

Soil erosion and subsequent land degradation contributed to societal collapse in the past
and are a leading cause of desertification in arid and semi-arid regions. Biological soil crusts …

Tillage strongly affects the process of soil aggregate stabilization, which involves a variety of
binding mechanisms interacting at a range of spatial scales. To understand how binding …

Background and aims Agroforestry systems combining trees with crops or pastures have
been widely used to reduce water, soil, and nutrient losses and associated water pollution …

The adaptation of plants to particular soil types has long intrigued biologists. Gypsum soils
occupy large areas in many regions of the world and host a striking biological diversity, but …