Skip to main content
Advanced Search

Filters: Tags: Biological soil crusts (X)

43 results (59ms)   

View Results as: JSON ATOM CSV
thumbnail
These data were compiled to examine how climate change affects biocrust recovery from both physical and climate-induced disturbance. Objective(s) of our study were to uncover the trajectory of biological soil crust communities and soil stability following disturbance and under warming. These data represent biological soil crust surveys under 5 treatments at three sites. These data were collected at three sites: Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Castle Valley. Data collection for a physical disturbance experiment where annual human-trampling occurred at the sites in Arches and Canyonlands began in 1996 and was concluded in 2018. Data collection for a 13-year full-factorial in situ climate manipulation...
Tags: 20 point-intercept frames, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Castle Valley, Climatology, All tags...
thumbnail
These data were compiled to improve our understanding of how water, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) interact to regulate below ground carbon cycling. Objective(s) of our study were to evaluate how soil heterotrophic carbon cycling responded to inputs of water, C, N, and P individually and interactively on the Colorado Plateau. These data represent soil microbial and CO2 respiration responses to amendments of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and water. Soils were collected at a study site located in Arches National Park in southeastern Utah on 14 August 2017 and again on 17 July 2018 from the upper 10 cm of the soil profile in open spaces among plant canopies after the biological soil crust layer (< 1...
Salt and sediment contributions to the Colorado River and its tributaries pose economic and environmental concerns for the United States and Mexico. Land use decisions promoting the aggregation of Mancos Shale derived soils are one way to reduce the transportation of salts and sediments to water resources. We used a simple field test of soil aggregate stability to determine the site characteristics influencing the soil stability of sedimentary marine shale in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area in Southwestern Colorado. Ninety-six 1 m2 plots were intensively sampled to explore relationships between soil stability and the biological, chemical and physical site characteristics. Analysis of variance showed...
thumbnail
In this study, we examined N gas loss as nitric oxide (NO) from N-fixing biologically crusted soils in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. We hypothesized that NO gas loss would increase with increasing N fixation potential of the biologically crusted soil. NO fluxes were measured from biologically crusted soils with three levels of N fixation potential (Scytonema-Nostoc-Collema spp. (dark)>Scytonema-Nostoc-Microcoleus spp. (medium)>Microcoleus spp. (light)) from soil cores and field chambers. In both cores and field chambers there was a significant effect of crust type on NO fluxes, but this was highly dependent on season. NO fluxes from field chambers increased with increasing N fixation potential of the biologically...
Archaea are common and abundant members of biological soil crust communities across large-scale biogeographic provinces of arid North America. Regardless of microbial community development, archaeal populations averaged 2 � 107 16S rRNA gene copies per gram of soil, representing around 5% of the prokaryotic (total calculated bacterial and archaeal) numbers assessed by quantitative-PCR. In contrast, archaeal diversity, determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting and clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes, was very restricted. Only six different phylotypes (all Crenarchaea) were detected, three of which were very dominant. Some phylotypes were widespread, while others were typical of Southern desert...
We examined mycobiota structure, diversity level, and density of microfungal isolates in the biological soil crusts (BSC) and non-crusted soil of the northern and central Negev desert in 10 locations along a southward rainfall gradient. A total of 87 species from 49 genera were isolated. The mycobiota of BSC (80 species) was characterized by dominance of melanin-containing fungi, the remarkable contribution of sexual ascomycete species, and low abundance of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus. Species richness and the contribution of dark-colored fungi with large, multicellular spores negatively and significantly correlated with rainfall. The comparison with mycobiota of the non-crusted soil showed that in BSC...
thumbnail
These data were compiled for assessing how geomorphic changes measured as topographic differences from repeat surveys represent measured and modelled estimates of aeolian sediment transport and dune mobility. Objective(s) of our study were to investigate whether topographic changes can serve as a proxy for aeolian transport and sediment mobility in dunefield environments. This was accomplished by relating topographic changes to modeled and observed estimates of sediment transport and dune mobility over months to decades within a partially vegetated dunefield starved of upwind sediment supplies. We specifically tested if topographic changes measured as net and total volume changes and topographic surface roughness...
Tags: Arizona, Colorado River, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, All tags...
thumbnail
These data were compiled for assessing how geomorphic changes measured as topographic differences from repeat surveys represent measured and modelled estimates of aeolian sediment transport and dune mobility. Objective(s) of our study were to investigate whether topographic changes can serve as a proxy for aeolian transport and sediment mobility in dunefield environments. This was accomplished by relating topographic changes to modeled and observed estimates of sediment transport and dune mobility over months to decades within a partially vegetated dunefield starved of upwind sediment supplies. We specifically tested if topographic changes measured as net and total volume changes and topographic surface roughness...
Categories: Data; Tags: Arizona, Colorado River, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, All tags...
In some arid regions, rehabilitation of whole system N-fixation may be strongly facilitated by the recovery of populations of the lichen genus Collema. Identification of the limits to recovery of Collema in apparently suitable habitat should inform selection of rehabilitation techniques. We simultaneously tested the relative importance of three hypothetical limits to Collema recovery: active erosion, resource limitation, and propagule scarcity. We found that in our experimental system, active erosion had no effect on short-term establishment of Collema, whereas propagule addition did enhance recovery and microhabitat (a resource availability gradient) also exerted a strong influence. It is possible that attempts...
thumbnail
These data were compiled to evaluate pinyon-juniper regeneration dynamics following stand-replacing wildfire and thinning treatments. Objectives of our study were to investigate vegetation community composition and tree recruitment in post-fire and post-thinning environments. These data represent plant and biological soil crust community composition and climatological records among intact, thinned, and burned pinyon–juniper woodlands. These data were collected in Mesa Verde National Park and Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park from 6/1/2021 to 6/10/2021 and from 03/1/2022 to 11/30/2022 at two burned and two intact pinyon-juniper ecosystems in Mesa Verde National Park only. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological...
Categories: Data; Tags: Botany, Colorado, Echo House (historical), Ecology, Geography, All tags...
thumbnail
In this study, we conducted rainfall simulation experiments in a cool desert ecosystem to examine the role of biological soil crust disturbance and composition on dissolved and sediment C and N losses. We compared runoff and sediment C and N losses from intact late-successional dark cyanolichen crusts (intact) to both trampled dark crusts (trampled) and dark crusts where the top 1 cm of the soil surface was removed (scraped). In a second experiment, we compared C and N losses in runoff and sediments in early-successional light cyanobacterial crusts (light) to that of intact late-successional dark cyanolichen crusts (dark). A relatively high rainfall intensity of approximately 38 mm per 10-min period was used to...
In this study, we examined N gas loss as nitric oxide (NO) from N-fixing biologically crusted soils in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. We hypothesized that NO gas loss would increase with increasing N fixation potential of the biologically crusted soil. NO fluxes were measured from biologically crusted soils with three levels of N fixation potential (Scytonema-Nostoc-Collema spp. (dark)>Scytonema-Nostoc-Microcoleus spp. (medium)>Microcoleus spp. (light)) from soil cores and field chambers. In both cores and field chambers there was a significant effect of crust type on NO fluxes, but this was highly dependent on season. NO fluxes from field chambers increased with increasing N fixation potential of the biologically...
thumbnail
Summers on the Colorado Plateau (USA) are typified by harsh conditions such as high temperatures, brief soil hydration periods, and high UV and visible radiation. We investigated whether community composition and pigmention might vary in biological soil crusts as a result of such conditions. Representative surface cores were sampled on the ENE, WSW, and top microaspects of 20 individual soil crust pedicels at a single site in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, in spring and fall of 1999. Frequency of major cyanobacterial taxa and pigment concentrations were measured for each core. The frequency of major cyanobacterial taxa was lower in the fall compared to spring. The less-pigmented cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatus...
thumbnail
These data were compiled for assessing how geomorphic changes measured as topographic differences from repeat surveys represent measured and modelled estimates of aeolian sediment transport and dune mobility. Objective(s) of our study were to investigate whether topographic changes can serve as a proxy for aeolian transport and sediment mobility in dunefield environments. This was accomplished by relating topographic changes to modeled and observed estimates of sediment transport and dune mobility over months to decades within a partially vegetated dunefield starved of upwind sediment supplies. We specifically tested if topographic changes measured as net and total volume changes and topographic surface roughness...
Tags: Arizona, Botany, Colorado River, Ecology, Geography, All tags...
thumbnail
This dataset contains biocrust lichen and moss cover at 186 plots at Horse Heaven Hills in Washington, USA. These data were measured by Jeanne Ponzetti in 1999 and remeasured by Heather Root in 2020. In addition to the biocrust data, we include site data such as elevation, location, wildfire history, and cover classes of dominant plants, rock and soil.
thumbnail
Biological soil crusts arrest soil erosion and supply nitrogen to arid ecosys- tems. To understand their recovery from disturbance, we studied performances of Collema spp. lichens relative to four experimental treatments plus microtopography of soil pedicels, oriented north-northwest to south-southeast in crusts. At sites in Needles (NDLS) and Island in the Sky (ISKY) districts of Canyonlands National Park, lichens were transplanted to NNW, SSE, ENE, WSW, and TOP pedicel faces and exposed to a full-factorial, randomized block experiment with four treatments: nutrient addition (P and K), soil stabilization with polyacrylamide resin (PAM), added cyanobacterial fiber, and biweekly watering. After 14.5 mo (NDLS) and...
thumbnail
Biological soil crusts are an essential part of desert ecosystems throughout the world, as they are important in soil stabilization and soil fertility. Despite their importance, there have been few efforts to examine the population dynamics of the dominant species comprising these crusts or the effect of exotic plant invasions on these dynamics. In this study, we followed changes in lichen and moss cover for 8 years in plots dominated by native grasses or invaded by the exotic annual grass Bromus tectorum and across sites representing a range of land use histories. Our data showed that cover of both lichens and mosses can increase dramatically over short time periods, often going from just above 0% cover to as high...
thumbnail
We present an approach to quantitatively assess nonnative plant invasions at landscape scales from both habitat and species perspectives. Our case study included 34 nonnative species found in 142 plots (0.1 ha) in 14 vegeta- tion types within the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah. A plot invasion index, based on nonnative species richness and cover, showed that only 16 of 142 plots were heavily invaded. A species invasive index, based on frequency, cover, and number of vegetation types invaded, showed that only 7 of 34 plant species were highly invasive. Multiple regressions using habitat characteristics (moisture index, elevation, soil P, native species richness, maximum crust development class,...
thumbnail
The data were collected at Morley Nelson, Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) where known grazing regimes, including the season of grazing, have been in practice for the last 30 years. Surveyed plots were placed to account for intensity of grazing and to avoid confounding disturbances. Data were collected on the morphogroups of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) found within the NCA, and include measurements on soils related to texture, carbon, nitrogen and the abundance of soil aggregating cyanobacteria in the soil. These data support the following publication: Condon, L.A., Rosentreter, R., Veblen, K.E. and Coates, P.S., 2024. Season of grazing interacts with soil texture, selecting for associations...
thumbnail
These data were compiled for assessing how geomorphic changes measured as topographic differences from repeat surveys represent measured and modelled estimates of aeolian sediment transport and dune mobility. Objective(s) of our study were to investigate whether topographic changes can serve as a proxy for aeolian transport and sediment mobility in dunefield environments. This was accomplished by relating topographic changes to modeled and observed estimates of sediment transport and dune mobility over months to decades within a partially vegetated dunefield starved of upwind sediment supplies. We specifically tested if topographic changes measured as net and total volume changes and topographic surface roughness...
Tags: Arizona, Colorado River, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, All tags...


map background search result map search result map Soil lichen and moss cover and species richness can be highly dynamic: The effects of invasion by the annual exotic grass Bromus tectorum, precipitation, and temperature on biological soil crusts in SE Utah Evaluating plant invasions from both habitat and species perspectives Temporal variation in community composition and pigmentation of desert cyanobacterial soil crusts Impacts of Biological Soil Crust Disturbance and Composition on C and N Loss from Water Erosion Treatment effects on performance of N-fixing lichens in disturbed soil crusts of the Colorado Plateau NO gas loss from biologically crusted soils in Canyonlands National Park, Utah Data and software code from two long-term experiments (1996-2011 and 2005-2018) at three sites on the Colorado Plateau of North America CO2 concentrations and microbial biomass data derived from incubation experiments on soils collected at Arches National Park in 2017 and 2018 Morphogroups of Biocrusts Following Seasons of Grazing Near Boise, Idaho Biological soil crust and vascular plant data from Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, measured in 1999 and remeasured in 2020 Site data from observations of post-fire and thinned stands of piñon-juniper woodlands on the Colorado Plateau Compilation of topographic data, aerial imagery, and land cover classification, collected between 1984 to 2021 for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Topographic, aerial imagery, and unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) data for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Classified land cover and vegetation canopy cover data for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Aerial imagery analysis and topographic change detection (digital surface models), field observations and topographic change (terrestrial lidar surveys), and 4-minute wind speed record data for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Compilation of topographic data, aerial imagery, and land cover classification, collected between 1984 to 2021 for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Topographic, aerial imagery, and unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) data for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Classified land cover and vegetation canopy cover data for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Aerial imagery analysis and topographic change detection (digital surface models), field observations and topographic change (terrestrial lidar surveys), and 4-minute wind speed record data for an aeolian dune field near Lees Ferry, AZ Site data from observations of post-fire and thinned stands of piñon-juniper woodlands on the Colorado Plateau Biological soil crust and vascular plant data from Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, measured in 1999 and remeasured in 2020 Data and software code from two long-term experiments (1996-2011 and 2005-2018) at three sites on the Colorado Plateau of North America CO2 concentrations and microbial biomass data derived from incubation experiments on soils collected at Arches National Park in 2017 and 2018 Morphogroups of Biocrusts Following Seasons of Grazing Near Boise, Idaho Soil lichen and moss cover and species richness can be highly dynamic: The effects of invasion by the annual exotic grass Bromus tectorum, precipitation, and temperature on biological soil crusts in SE Utah Temporal variation in community composition and pigmentation of desert cyanobacterial soil crusts Impacts of Biological Soil Crust Disturbance and Composition on C and N Loss from Water Erosion Treatment effects on performance of N-fixing lichens in disturbed soil crusts of the Colorado Plateau NO gas loss from biologically crusted soils in Canyonlands National Park, Utah Evaluating plant invasions from both habitat and species perspectives