Soil Crust Inter- National
Understanding and valuing biological soil protection of disturbed and open land surfaces Soil Crust InterNational
Four Countries - Five Institutions:
Germany: Kaiserslautern Technical University Burkhard BUEDEL (Coordinator)
Spain: Universidad Complutense Allan GREEN
Austria: University of Salzburg Thomas PEER University of Graz Martin GRUBE
Sweden: Swedish Museum of Natural History Mats WEDIN We are looking at Biological Soil Crusts ( BSC)
What are they? 3-D picture of a Biological Soil Crust (BSC)
© Illustration by Renate Klein-Rödder In: © Belnap J, Lange OL, eds. Biological soil crusts: structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies Series 150, (2nd Ed). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, (2003) Page 4. Lichens Mosses
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) © BSC are complex communities of microorganisms in the soil surface BSCs form a skin on the soil surface
Skin
© BSCs form a skin on the soil surface
Rhizoids of mosses
Rhizines of lichens
Gels of the cyanobacteria
© The BSC skin alters the soil surface properties
Stabilises surface
Protects against erosion
Influences runoff quantity and quality
Improves higher plant establishment © The BSC skin provides major nutrient inputs
© Carbon fixation by photosynthesis by mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria, and algae.
Possibly up to 6% of world carbon fixation. The BSC skin provides major nutrient inputs
Nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria (free-living and in lichen symbiosis) and soil bacteria
Values of 10 kg N ha-1 y-1 reported.
© The BSC organisms are poikilohydric
Poikilohydric means their water content tracks that of the environment.
They are very robust.
BSC form in areas where higher plants cannot © grow. The BSC organisms are poikilohydric
BSC form in areas where higher plants cannot grow.
Arid areas, both hot and cold;
Cold areas, polar and alpine;
Disturbed areas
© Nutrient poor areas. Ecologically BSC are very important
Their main problem is a poor public image -they are not well known
At present: BSC are underfoot, overlooked and undervalued,
Yet they are the natural and most effective force in land stabilisation and land recovery.
They grow everywhere.
Not appreciated because of their small size and are the organisms that are hard to see and identify. Ecologically BSC are very important
Our AIM: Understanding and improving biological soil protection of disturbed and open land surfaces.
BY: Better appreciation of functioning and importance of BSC in Europe; Added value through improved practices and policies.
Make BSC visible to specialists and general public. We are achieving our AIM through:
Four research sites that capture latitudinal, altitudinal and causal differences.
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4 1 Öland 57º 32´N 20 masl 450 mm ppt y-1 Mean temp. 6.5oC Grazed
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4 2 Gössenheim 50º 01´N 295 masl 600 mm ppt y-1 Mean temp. 9.2oC Grazed
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4 3 Hochtor 47º 05´N 2600 masl 2000 mm ppt y-1 Mean temp. -3.0oC Natural
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4 4 Almeria 36º 58´N 250 masl 240 mm ppt y-1 Mean temp. 19.0oC Natural
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4 We are achieving our AIM through: A cutting edge science programme of 5 Research-based Work Packages 1 Delivery Package We are achieving our AIM through: A cutting edge science programme of 5 Research-based Work Packages 1 Delivery Package Work Package 1: Closing the Biodiversity gap Work Package 2: Net Carbon Gain Work Package 3: Surface performance Work Package 4: Community structure and recovery Work Package 5: Adaptation, acclimation, uniqueness Work Package 6: Delivery and coordination Work Package 6: Delivery and coordination
International BSC Workshop Universidad Complutense Madrid June 2013
Web Page: www.uni-kl.de/SCIN/
Burkhard Schroeter –University of Kiel School educational material Soil Crust InterNational Soil Crust InterNational Our thanks to: BiodivERsA Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Germany Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Austria Plan Nacional de I+D+i , Spain Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, FORMAS. Sweden
Arid Zone Research Station, Spanish research Council Regierung von Unterfranken, Würzburg Länsstyrelsen Kalmar län, naturvärdsenheten
And many others
© Illustration by Renate Klein-Rödder In: Belnap J, Lange OL, eds. Biological soil crusts: structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies Series 150, (2nd Ed). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, (2003) Page 4.