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Patterns and Controls on Nitrogen Cycling of Biological Soil Crusts

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Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 226))

Abstract

In low-nutrient environments with few vascular plant symbiotic N fixers, biocrusts play an important role in ecosystem N cycling. A large number of studies across a wide range of biomes clearly confirm that not only the presence of biocrusts but biocrust community composition strongly influences N-fixation activity, with N fixation increasing with level of development (cyanobacterial-lichen biocrusts > dark cyanobacterial biocrust (e.g., Nostoc spp. and Collema spp.) > light Microcoleus-dominated biocrust). Nitrogen fixation by biocrusts results in N release to the soil in a variety of N forms (inorganic and organic N), thus elevating soil inorganic N pools in the top few millimeters of soil. The influence of N release on the bulk soil at greater soil depths is less clear, with biocrusts either elevating or having no influence on bulk soil inorganic N pools. The fate of N fixed and released by biocrusts, and whether this N is retained in the ecosystem in either soils or plants, determines ecosystem N balance over longer time scales, and results on the influence of biocrusts are mixed. Whereas we have multiple studies that examine a single compartment of N budgets, we lack studies that simultaneously address N inputs, losses, and soil and plant pools, thus precluding the construction of definitive N balances. One of the most consistent impact biocrusts have on ecosystem N is reducing N loss via wind and water erosion, with such losses consistently decreasing with increasing biocrust development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, N122 Ramaley, Boulder, 80309-0334, CO, USA

    Nichole N. Barger

  2. Multiphase Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, Mainz, 55128, Germany

    Bettina Weber

  3. School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Life Science E Wing, Room 423, Tempe, 85287, AZ, USA

    Ferran Garcia-Pichel

  4. Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural Research Organization, Institute of Plant Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Mobile Post Negev 2, Negev, 85280, Israel

    Eli Zaady

  5. U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Station, 2290 Resource Boulevard, Moab, 84532, UT, USA

    Jayne Belnap

Authors
  1. Nichole N. Barger
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  2. Bettina Weber
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  3. Ferran Garcia-Pichel
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  4. Eli Zaady
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  5. Jayne Belnap
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nichole N. Barger .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Plank Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany

    Bettina Weber

  2. Plant Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Burkhard Büdel

  3. Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Moab, Utah, USA

    Jayne Belnap

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Barger, N.N., Weber, B., Garcia-Pichel, F., Zaady, E., Belnap, J. (2016). Patterns and Controls on Nitrogen Cycling of Biological Soil Crusts. In: Weber, B., Büdel, B., Belnap, J. (eds) Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands. Ecological Studies, vol 226. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_14

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