Development and succession of artificial biological soil crusts and water holding characteristics of topsoil

• Published in: Huanjing kexue Vol. 35; no. 3; p. 1138
• Main Authors: Wu, Li, Chen, Xiao-Guo, Zhang, Gao-Ke, Lan, Shu-Bin, Zhang, De-Lu, Hu, Chun-Xiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.03.2014
• Subjects: Biomass; Bryophyta - growth & development; Cyanobacteria - growth & development; Ecosystem; Silicon Dioxide; Soil - chemistry; Soil Microbiology; Water
• ISSN: 0250-3301
• DOI: 10.13227/j.hjkx.2014.03.045

In order to understand the improving effects of cyanobacterial inoculation on water retention of topsoil in desert regions, this work focused on the development and succession of biological soil crusts and water holding characteristics of topsoil after cyanobacterial inoculation in Qubqi Desert. The results showed that after the artificial inoculation of desert cyanobacteria, algal crusts were quickly formed, and in some microenvironments direct succession of the algal crusts to moss crusts occurred after 2-3 years. With the development and succession of biological soil crusts, the topsoil biomass, polysaccharides content, crust thickness and porosity increased, while the soil bulk density decreased. At the same time, with crust development and succession, the topsoil texture became finer and the percents of fine soil particles including silt and clay contents increased, while the percents of coarse soil particles (sand content) decreased proportionately. In addition, it was found that with crust development