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 …

The soil microbiome governs biogeochemical cycling of macronutrients, micronutrients and
other elements vital for the growth of plants and animal life. Understanding and predicting …

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) form a Bliving skin^ at the soil surface in many low-
productivity ecosystems around the world including water-and cold-limited environments …

Biocrusts are ecosystem engineers providing vital functions and services on the Earth's land
surface, while biocrust ecology in degraded karst landscapes has not yet been well …

Various ecological functions of biocrusts are mostly determined by their bacterial and fungal
abundance and community diversity, which has not yet been fully investigated. To provide …

Cyanobacteria are a key biotic component as primary producers in biocrusts, topsoil
communities that have important roles in the functioning of drylands. Yet, major knowledge …

Many arid and semiarid ecosystems have soils covered with well-developed biological soil
crust communities (biocrusts) made up of mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria, and heterotrophs …

Desert surface soils devoid of plant cover are populated by a variety of microorganisms,
many with yet unresolved physiologies and lifestyles. Nevertheless, a common feature vital …

Future climates will alter the frequency and size of rain events in drylands, potentially
affecting soil microbes that generate carbon feedbacks to climate, but field tests are rare …

Numerous studies have examined bacterial communities in biological soil crusts (BSCs)
associated with warm arid to semiarid ecosystems. Few, however, have examined bacterial …