Soil seed banks across an ecological state gradient of the Jornada Experimental Range: A timely test of a novel conceptual framework

Ryan Schroeder Soil seed banks – living seeds in the soil profile and on the soil surface – represent primary sources of regenerative potential and buffering capacity in dryland ecosystems. A recent study by Ma et al. (2021) presented the first conceptual framework that describes soil seed bank dynamics during state transitions from primary states, […]

Soil seed banks across an ecological state gradient of the Jornada Experimental Range: A timely test of a novel conceptual framework Read More »

Beneficial heterotrophs enhance the effectiveness of cyanobacteria-based biocrust restoration in drylands

Corey Nelson Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are communities of microbes that inhabit the surface of arid soils and provide essential services to dryland ecosystems. While resistant to extreme environmental conditions, biocrusts are susceptible to anthropogenic disturbances that can deprive ecosystems of these valuable services for decades. Until recently, many culture-based efforts to produce inoculum for

Beneficial heterotrophs enhance the effectiveness of cyanobacteria-based biocrust restoration in drylands Read More »

Drought and disturbance in Chihuahuan Desert shrublands: synergistic effects on productivity and diversity

Sam Jordan Intense droughts and human disturbances occur in many terrestrial ecosystems, but their direct and interactive effects on individuals, communities, and ecosystems remain largely unknown. Research in both disturbance and climate change ecology has a rich history, but there is a paucity of studies that combine both drivers. Using experimental manipulations to isolate the

Drought and disturbance in Chihuahuan Desert shrublands: synergistic effects on productivity and diversity Read More »

Biogeochemical function and microbial diversity in Chihuahuan Desert biocrusts

Mikaela Hoellrich Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are living soil aggregates hosting diverse communities of lichens, bryophytes, cyanobacteria, and other microorganisms in the uppermost millimeters of dryland soils. Biocrusts array along a gradient of structural complexity distinguished by the dominant photoautotroph. Consequently, each biocrust type can host a unique microbial community with different biogeochemical processes. Additionally,

Biogeochemical function and microbial diversity in Chihuahuan Desert biocrusts Read More »

Nitrogen cycling in a semiarid grassland under extreme rainfall conditions

Courtney M. Currier, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA, Osvaldo E. Sala, School of Life Sciences and School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA In tandem with soil water availability, biogeochemical mechanisms play a crucial role in terrestrial productivity. After water, nitrogen (N) availability is the most important limiting

Nitrogen cycling in a semiarid grassland under extreme rainfall conditions Read More »