Abstract
We explore in this chapter how biological soil crusts (biocrusts) may serve as a useful model system for studying multiple questions of interest in ecology, including biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships, positive and negative species interactions along environmental gradients, the source–sink hydrological dynamics in drylands, and ecosystem resistance and resilience. To illustrate our views, we synthesize recent and ongoing studies that are employing biocrusts as model systems to tackle these and other related questions, emphasizing the main features of biocrusts that make them special and well suited to advance ecological theory and our understanding of many important topics in community and ecosystem ecology. We complete the synthesis of the studies conducted so far with recommendations aiming to promote the use of biocrusts by community and ecosystem ecologists.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands |
Editors | Bettina Weber, Burkhard Büdel, Jayne Belnap |
Place of Publication | Switzerland |
Publisher | Springer |
Pages | 407-425 |
Number of pages | 19 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9783319302140 |
ISBN (Print) | 9783319302126 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2016 |
Keywords
- soil biology
- soil crusting
- soil ecology