The dynamics of vegetation‐driven spatial heterogeneity (VDSH) and its function in
structuring runoff and sediment fluxes have received increased attention from both …

Biocrusts play crucial roles in hydrological processes by controlling soil water availability
and regulating water redistribution from source to sink areas. Most studies have examined …

The capture and use of water are critically important in drylands, which collectively constitute
Earth's largest biome. Drylands will likely experience lower and more unreliable rainfall as …

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are the dominant living cover in many drylands of the world.
They possess many features that can influence different aspects of local hydrologic cycles …

Soil crusts influence many soil parameters that affect how water moves into and through the
soil, and therefore, critically influence water availability, erosion processes, nutrient fluxes …

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 …

Soil surface roughness has a strong influence on runoff and erosion, affecting surface
storage capacity, water flow routing and velocity, and modifying runoff rates. It also reduces …

Panels of experts from the Society for Range Management and the National Research
Council proposed that status of rangeland ecosystems could be ascertained by evaluating …

Biological soil crusts, a community of cyanobacteria, lichens, and mosses that live on the soil
surface, occur in deserts throughout the world. They are a critical component of desert …

This book summarizes the current status of scientific and management knowledge regarding
global rangelands and the major challenges that confront them. It originated from …