Biological soil crusts exhibit a dynamic response to seasonal rain and release from grazing with implications for soil stability

摘要: In Northern Mexico, long-term grazing has substantially degraded semiarid landscapes. systems, ecological and hydrological processes are strongly coupled by patchy plant distribution biological soil crust (BSC) cover in plant-free interspaces. this study, we asked: 1) how responsive BSC cover/composition to a drying/wetting cycle two-year removal, 2) what the implications for erosion? We characterized morphotypes their influence on stability under grazed/non-grazed conditions during dry wet season. Light- dark-colored cyanobacteria were dominant at tussock community level. Cover changes these two groups differed after rainy season response removal. Lichens with continuous thalli more vulnerable than those semi-continuous/discontinuous Microsites around tussocks facilitated colonization compared Lichen differentially enhanced resistance erosion; consequently, surface depends spatial of morphotypes, suggesting may be as dynamic type cover. Longer-term spatially detailed studies necessary elicit spatiotemporal dynamics communities functional role biotically abiotically variable environments.