喀斯特坡面生物结皮发育特征及其对土壤水分入渗的影响

作为地表植被恢复的先锋种群和景观的重要组成部分,生物土壤结皮(BSCs)对地表过程具有重要影响.为探明喀斯特地区BSCs发育特征及其对土壤水分入渗的影响,本研究选取喀斯特代表性坡面开展了BSCs实地调查和人工模拟降雨试验,探究了BSCs覆盖土壤的水分入渗过程,试验设计了5个BSCs盖度水平(0、28％、40％、70％、...     

外源输入氮素在藓类生物土壤结皮中各氮组分的分配特征与归趋途径

针对黄土高原典型藓类生物结皮,以无结皮裸地为对照,通过野外原位同位素标记试验,在标记后1~30 d连续取样测定,示踪外源添加¹⁵N在生物结皮中各氮组分的分配特征,并分析¹⁵N在土壤-微生物-藓植株中的归趋途径,对比揭示生物结皮对土壤氮循环的影响。结果表明: 1)生物结皮的全氮、微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮中¹⁵N含量分别平均比裸地高2.9、17.5、9.0倍,且藓植株固定的¹⁵N含量高达4.73 mg·kg^-1。2)生物结皮的¹⁵N残留率平均为13.0%,其氮固持能力是裸地(3.3%)的4.0倍;生物结皮中各组分¹⁵N占全氮的比率依次为微生物生物量氮(54.3%)>藓植株氮(22.5%)>可溶性有机氮(6.2%),而裸地则为微生物生物量氮(11.5%)>可溶性有机氮(2.6%),显示生物结皮中微生物和藓植株的氮固持能力合计比裸地高65.3%。3)生物结皮中微生物生物量¹⁵N的转移量和库容量分别比裸地高17.2和20.5倍,但其周转率为每月5.8次,低于裸地的每月7.2次,其周转期是裸地的1.2倍。综上,与无结皮裸地相比,生物结皮具有更高的氮固持能力,同时能够改变土壤各氮组分的分配率,因此,在干旱生态系统土壤氮循环过程中具有重要作用。     

生物土壤结皮对荒漠土壤线虫群落的影响

在干旱的沙漠生态系统中,生物土壤结皮对于沙丘的固定和土壤生物的维持起着相当重要的作用.土壤线虫能敏感的指示土壤的恢复程度,是衡量沙区生态恢复与健康的重要生物学属性,而目前关于生物土壤结皮与土壤线虫的关系研究很少.为探明生物土壤结皮对土壤线虫的影响,以腾格里沙漠东南缘的人工植被固沙区藻结皮和藓类结皮覆盖的沙丘土壤为研究对象,根据固沙年限的不同将样地分为4个不同的区进行采样(1956、1964、1981和1991年固沙区),以流沙区作为对照;同时,在不同季度(4、7、9和12月)分别采集腾格里沙漠东南缘的人工植被固沙区藻结皮和藓类结皮覆盖下不同土层(0-10、10-20和20-30 cm)的沙丘土壤,以沙坡头地区的红卫天然植被区为对照,分析生物土壤结皮下土壤线虫的时空变化.采用改良的Baermann漏斗法进行分离线虫,用光学显微镜鉴定并统计.研究表明:1956、1964、1981和1991年人工植被固沙区的藻结皮和藓类结皮均可显著提高其下土壤线虫多度、属的丰富度、Shannon-Weaver多样性指数、富集指数和结构指数(P＜0.05),这可能是因为生物土壤结皮的存在为土壤线虫提供了重要的食物来源和适宜的生存环境;固沙年限与结皮下土壤线虫多度、属的丰富度、Shannon-Weaver多样性指数、富集指数和结构指数存在显著的正相关关系(P＜0.05),这说明固沙年限越久,越有利于土壤线虫的生存和繁衍;结皮类型显著影响土壤线虫群落,相对于藻结皮而言,藓类结皮下土壤线虫多度与属的丰富度更高(P＜0.05),这说明演替后期的藓类结皮比演替早期的藻结皮更有利于土壤线虫的生存和繁衍.此外,藻结皮和藓类结皮均可显著增加其下0-10、10-20和20-30 cm土层线虫多度和属的丰富度(P＜0.05),但随着土壤深度的增加,这种影响逐渐减弱,表明生物土壤结皮更有利于表层土壤线虫的生存;而且,随着季节的变化,藻结皮和藓类结皮下土壤线虫多度基本表现为秋季＞夏季＞春季＞冬季,这些反映了生物土壤结皮的生物量、盖度和种类组成随着季节变化而变化.因此,腾格里沙漠东南缘的人工植被固沙区生物土壤结皮的存在与演替有利于土壤线虫的生存和繁衍,增加了线虫数量、种类和多样性,这指示了生物土壤结皮有利于该区土壤及其相应生态系统的恢复.     

物理结皮和生物结皮的斥水特征及其对水分入渗的影响

土壤结皮是一种常见的自然现象,但由于结皮形成机制的不同,会产生不同的亲水性和斥水性,从而影响土壤的水力学特征与水文循环。本研究利用水滴穿透时间法测定了野外不同植被下物理结皮和生物结皮的斥水特征,利用扫描电镜观测了结皮的表面形态,并用微型入渗装置测定了结皮及其对照土壤的入渗特征。结果表明: 1)物理结皮的平均水滴穿透时间(WDPT)为3.3 s,对照为0.9 s,表现为亲水性;生物结皮的平均WDPT介于20.9～140.9 s,是无结皮的2.8～19倍,其中君迁子和刺槐林下的生物结皮平均WDPT分别为134.5和140.9 s。2)与对照相比,物理结皮累积入渗量、平均入渗速率和吸湿力分别降低了0～4.3%、3.5%～5.1%和27.2%～90.1%,生物结皮分别降低了0～25%、1.4%～28.2%和36.0%～84.9%。3)无论是否存在结皮,利用Philip模型拟合处理入渗数据均存在“曲棍球状”曲线;曲线上斥水性停止时间(WRCT)之前,点源微入渗以水平方向上的扩散为主,WRCT点以后以垂直方向上的入渗为主,土壤结皮的形成延长了该转折点的形成时间。综上,物理结皮是无机矿质颗粒堵塞了表层土壤,不影响斥水性的变化;生物结皮表现为斥水性有机物对土壤结构的影响,增强了其斥水性。物理结皮和生物结皮均会降低土壤的累积入渗量和平均入渗速率,但物理结皮主要影响土壤的吸湿力,对稳定入渗速率影响不大;生物结皮不仅降低了土壤吸湿力,还增加了稳定入渗速率。     

踩踏干扰对生物结皮土壤渗透性的影响

采用人工模拟降雨试验,研究了踩踏干扰对生物结皮土壤渗透性的影响.结果表明:踩踏干扰显著增加了土壤表面粗糙度,增加幅度与干扰强度有关,50%干扰度下表面粗糙度指数较不干扰增加91%.踩踏干扰延长了坡面产流时间,20%～50%干扰度范围内,随着干扰强度的增加,初始产流时间呈线性增加趋势,50%干扰度的初始产流时间较不干扰增加了169.7%.踩踏干扰增加了土壤渗透性,降低径流系数.50%干扰度的土壤累积入渗量较不干扰增加12.6%;去除生物结皮,土壤渗透性降低,累积入渗量较不干扰降低30.2%.50%以下的干扰度未显著增加土壤侵蚀模数.去除生物结皮,土壤侵蚀模数较不干扰增加10倍.生物结皮破碎度低于50%的干扰在不明显增加土壤流失量的前提下,可增加降水入渗,减小径流风险,改善土壤水分状况.     

生物土壤结皮的分布影响因子及其监测

生物土壤结皮在荒漠化地区广泛分布。本文详细论述了生物土壤结皮的分布规律及其影响因素,如海拔高度、土壤、维管植物群落水分条件和干扰,以及生物土壤结皮在生态系统和景观变化监测和评价中的作用等。同时对中国西北地区生物土壤结皮的生态学研究和开发应用提供了研究的重点和方向。     

Increased temperature and altered summer precipitation have differential effects on biological soil crusts in a dryland ecosystem

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are common and ecologically important members of dryland ecosystems worldwide, where they stabilize soil surfaces and contribute newly fixed C and N to soils. To test the impacts of predicted climate change scenarios on biocrusts in a dryland ecosystem, the effects of a 2–3 °C increase in soil temperature and an increased frequency of smaller summer precipitation events were examined in a large, replicated field study conducted in the cold desert of the Colorado Plateau, USA. Surface soil biomass (DNA concentration), photosynthetically active cyanobacterial biomass (chlorophyll a concentration), cyanobacterial abundance (quantitative PCR assay), and bacterial community composition (16S rRNA gene sequencing) were monitored seasonally over 2 years. Soil microbial biomass and bacterial community composition were highly stratified between the 0–2 cm depth biocrusts and 5–10 cm depth soil beneath the biocrusts. The increase in temperature did not have a detectable effect on any of the measured parameters over 2 years. However, after the second summer of altered summer precipitation pattern, significant declines occurred in the surface soil biomass (avg. DNA concentration declined 38%), photosynthetic cyanobacterial biomass (avg. chlorophyll a concentration declined 78%), cyanobacterial abundance (avg. gene copies g^?1 soil declined 95%), and proportion of Cyanobacteria in the biocrust bacterial community (avg. representation in sequence libraries declined 85%). Biocrusts are important contributors to soil stability, soil C and N stores, and plant performance, and the loss or reduction of biocrusts under an altered precipitation pattern associated with climate change could contribute significantly to lower soil fertility and increased erosion and dust production in dryland ecosystems at a regional scale.     

荒漠地表生物土壤结皮形成与演替特征概述

土壤表面结皮是世界范围内干旱沙漠地区土壤表面广泛存在的自然现象,包括物理结皮和生物土壤结皮两大类型。其中,生物土壤结皮作为干旱沙漠地区特殊环境的产物,是由细菌、真菌、蓝绿藻、地衣和苔藓植物与土壤形成的有机复合体。它的形成使土壤表面在物理、化学和生物学特性上均明显不同于松散沙土,具有较强的抗风蚀功能和重要的生态效应,成为干旱沙漠地区植被演替的重要基础。随着形成生物土壤结皮的物种更替,维持结皮结构的主要胶结方式亦随之发生变化,即由胞外多糖的粘结作用逐渐转变为蓝藻和荒漠藻的藻丝体、地衣菌丝体以及苔藓植物假根的缠绕和捆绑作用,物种更替是结皮微结构和胶结方式转化的生物基础。生物土壤结皮的形成通常可以分为以下几个阶段:生物土壤结皮的早期阶段(土壤酶和土壤微生物),藻结皮阶段、地衣结皮阶段和苔藓结皮阶段。即随着土壤微生物在沙土表面的生长,随后出现丝状蓝藻和荒漠藻类植物,形成以藻类植物为主体的荒漠藻结皮;当土壤表面得到一定固定后,便开始出现地衣和苔藓植物,形成以地衣和苔藓植物为优势的生物结皮类型。其中,前一阶段的完成又为后一阶段的开始提供良好的环境条件。当环境条件适宜时,生物土壤结皮也可以不经历其中某个阶段而直接发育到更高级的阶段。     

火电厂周边不同生物结皮细菌群落特征差异及其影响因素

为探究大气降尘重金属污染对矿区周边不同类型生物结皮细菌群落结构的影响,利用高通量测序技术分析位于宁东能源化工基地典型火电厂周边的3类生物结皮(藻结皮ZB、混生结皮HB、苔藓结皮TB)和对照(CK,裸土)的细菌丰度和群落结构,并探讨了影响细菌群落结构的环境因子。结果表明: 不同类型生物结皮的理化性质和重金属含量存在差异,且由于生物结皮对大气降尘重金属的富集作用造成各类结皮均达重度污染级别。在相对丰度排名前10的优势细菌门中,芽单胞菌门、蓝细菌门在不同类型生物结皮之间差异显著。细菌群落α多样性由高到低排序依次为CK>TB>HB>ZB。非度量多维排序(NMDS)结果显示,裸土细菌群落与其他3种生物结皮存在明显差异。相关性分析表明,生物结皮演替对细菌群落组成具有显著影响,细菌多样性和组成与pH、养分、重金属含量等密切相关。放线菌门、绿弯菌门相对丰度与pH值呈显著正相关关系,而与全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)、Pb、Zn、Cd均呈显著负相关关系;冗余分析结果表明,TN、pH、TP、有机碳(SOC)是影响3种生物结皮细菌群落α多样性以及一些优势菌群相对丰度的主要土壤环境因子,而重金属Pb、Zn、Cd是影响细菌群落结构的主要重金属元素,对细菌群落数量和多样性有抑制或刺激作用。说明pH、重金属和养分是影响结皮细菌群落组成的关键因子。总体而言,长期的重金属富集作用会对生物结皮的细菌多样性和群落组成产生影响。     

铜陵铜尾矿废弃地生物土壤结皮中的蓝藻多样性

生物土壤结皮是生态系统原生演替过程中的一个早期阶段,在铜陵铜尾矿废弃地自然生态恢复过程中生物土壤结皮在尾矿废弃地表面广泛分布.以生长在铜陵杨山冲和铜官山2处铜尾矿废弃地的生物土壤结皮为研究对象,运用常规培养方法和变性梯度凝胶电泳技术(PCR-DGGE)对不同群落生物土壤结皮中的蓝藻多样性及优势类群进行研究.结果表明2种研究方法所获得的蓝藻种类组成具有明显差异.显微观察结果表明常规培养试验中主要蓝藻类群为微囊藻属(Microcystis)、色球藻属(Chroococcus)、颤藻属(Oscillatoria)、念珠藻属(Nostoc)和浮鞘丝藻属(Planktolyngbya),其中优势种类主要为铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)、断裂颤藻(Oscillatoria fracta)和细浮鞘丝藻(Planktolyngbya subtilis);提取样品中微生物总DNA,对蓝藻16SrRNA进行PCR-DGGE分析,回收DGGE图谱中24个条带进行测序分析,结果显示,所有序列与GenBank数据库中的近缘蓝藻的相似性系数均在93％以上,其中优势蓝藻类群主要隶属于微鞘藻属(Microcoleus)和细鞘丝藻属(Leptolyngbya),裸地(YL)处和木贼群落下尾矿表面(YM)的生物土壤结皮中优势蓝藻类群主要为微鞘藻属,而黄色真藓-藻类混合结皮(YT)和白茅群落( YB,TG)下的生物土壤结皮中的优势类群主要隶属于细鞘丝藻属.     

Progress in the study of algae and mosses in biological soil crusts

Algae and mosses are not only two of the familiar communities in the process of desert vegetational succession, but also have the highest biomass in biological soil crusts. Meanwhile, being the pioneer plants, algae and mosses are involved in the establishment of biological soil crusts, which have great importance in arid environments and play a major role in desert ecosystems, such as being the indicator of the vegetation type, soil-holding, preventing erosion by water and wind, and sand fixation. This paper reviews the advances in the study of algae and mosses in arid and semi-arid areas. It mainly describes the ecological functions of algae and mosses including their influences on water cycle, circulation of substances, and community succession. In addition, the relationships between algae and mosses are discussed. Finally, some suggestions are proposed for the research orientations of algae and mosses in biological soil crusts. Ecologically, algae and mosses have significant ecological importance in arid areas, especially in those areas where environmental problems are becoming increasingly serious.     

温带荒漠生物土壤结皮微生物群落结构与功能演替研究综述

生物土壤结皮(biological soil crusts,BSC)在荒漠植被的恢复及稳定性维持方面发挥了重要作用,被誉为“荒漠生态系统工程师”。BSC微生物群落是其发挥功能的主要成分,参与了BSC的形成、土壤性状的改善、土壤团聚体的稳定及植被的发育等过程。由于技术方法的限制,以往对BSC微生物群落发育如何调控荒漠植被稳定性的机理尚不清楚。近年来,随着土壤微生物组学技术的快速发展,BSC微生物群落组成及其功能的研究取得了较大进展,关于BSC微生物群落对荒漠生态系统贡献的认识日渐清晰。本文总结了温带荒漠BSC演替过程中微生物不同类群细菌、真菌、古菌群落的组成结构及参与碳氮循环的潜在功能变化,并对影响微生物群落结构和功能的土壤因素进行了剖析,阐释了BSC微生物群落与土壤功能性状相互作用及协同演替的模式,厘清了BSC促进荒漠土壤改善的机理,为温带荒漠植被恢复及荒漠生态系统对全球贡献的理解提供了依据。     

荒漠结皮层藓类植物死亡对表层土壤水分蒸发和入渗的影响

水分是荒漠植物生长最主要的限制因子,藓类结皮作为荒漠土壤表层重要覆被物,对土壤水分蒸发入渗具有重要影响。研究表明,在全球气候变化背景下,不确定的降水格局变化导致结皮层藓类植物出现集群死亡现象,但这一过程对荒漠地表土壤水分蒸发与入渗过程的影响及其机理尚不清楚。以古尔班通古特沙漠齿肋赤藓结皮为研究对象,利用便携式渗透计和蒸发仪,研究了结皮层藓类植物死亡对土壤水分蒸发与入渗的影响。结果表明,与裸沙相比,藓类结皮的存在显著抑制了水分入渗,而藓类植物死亡的结皮层抑制作用最大,其初渗速率、稳渗速率和累积入渗量分别是活藓类结皮的39.89%、85.91%及64.48%,仅为裸沙的5.96%、13.13%及20.42%。在水分蒸发初期,裸沙的水分蒸发速率明显高于活藓类结皮和藓类植物死亡的结皮层,但藓类植物死亡的结皮层维持相对稳定的蒸发速率的时间长于裸沙和活藓类结皮,这也导致最终累计蒸发量以藓类植物死亡的结皮层最高、裸沙最低。可见,荒漠生物土壤结皮中藓类植物死亡会明显减少土壤水分入渗、增大水分蒸发,进一步影响荒漠表层土壤水分格局,从而影响生物土壤结皮与维管植物的水分利用关系。     

Progress in the study of algae and mosses in biological soil crusts

Algae and mosses are not only two of the familiar communities in the process of desert vegetational succession,but also have the highest biomass in biological soil crusts.Meanwhile,being the pioneer plants,algae and mosses are involved in the establishment of biological soil crusts,which have great importance in arid environments and play a major role in desert ecosystems,such as being the indicator of the vegetation type,soil-holding,preventing erosion by water and wind,and sand fixation.This paper reviews the advances in the study of algae and mosses in arid and semi-arid areas.It mainly describes the ecological functions of algae and mosses including their influences on water cycle,circulation of substances,and community succession.In addition,the relationships between algae and mosses are discussed.Finally,some suggestions are proposed for the research orientations of algae and mosses in biological soil crusts.Ecologically,algae and mosses have significant ecological importance in arid areas,especially in those areas where environmental problems are becoming increasingly serious.     

生物结皮影响下沙漠土壤表面凝结水的形成与变化特征

在水资源匮乏的沙漠生境,凝结水是植物、生物结皮、无脊椎和脊椎小动物的重要水分来源之一.采用微渗计法对比研究3种生物结皮类型(藻结皮、地衣结皮和苔藓结皮)和自然裸沙对地表凝结水量及凝结水蒸散过程的影响.微渗计的规格为内径6 cm,高3.5 cm的PVC管.研究结果表明:不同类型地表的总凝结水量之间存在极显著的差异(P < 0.01),总凝结水量随生物结皮发育水平呈显著增加的趋势,依次为:裸沙 < 藻结皮 < 地衣结皮 < 苔藓结皮,即生物结皮的存在有利于沙漠地表凝结水的形成.不同类型地表凝结水量的日均值有所差异.对于同一地表类型,凝结水量的最大值为最小值的数倍.黎明时,苔藓结皮的凝结水量最大,而裸沙的凝结水量最小,地衣结皮和藻结皮居中.凝结现象自20:00～22:00,次日8:00～9:00结束.大多数日出后凝结现象仍继续发生.不同类型地表的凝结及蒸散过程经历2个阶段:日出前凝结水量呈缓慢增加的趋势,日出后随温度的升高凝结水量快速减少,其中以苔藓结皮凝结水量下降最为迅速.凝结水量主要受温度、大气湿度、凝结面类型、气象条件和生境等方面因素的影响.     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物土壤结皮对土壤氮库垂直分布特征的影响

生物土壤结皮在干旱区氮素地球化学循环中具有重要作用,研究不同生物土壤结皮下不同形态氮素含量的变化,解析生物土壤结皮对土壤养分影响过程和范围,有助于进一步理解生物土壤结皮的生态功能。本研究以古尔班通古特沙漠藻-地衣混生结皮和藓类结皮两种生物土壤结皮为研究对象,以裸沙为对照,测定生物土壤结皮层和0—100 cm内8个土层全氮、无机氮、可溶性有机氮、游离态氨基酸氮、微生物生物量氮等氮库含量,和土壤脲酶、硝酸盐还原态酶、亮氨酸氨基肽酶等土壤胞外酶活性。结果表明：1)结皮层各形态氮素含量和各土壤酶活性显著高于其下层土壤,结皮层和结皮下各层土壤氮库整体上表现为藓类结皮>藻-地衣混生结皮>裸沙;土壤氮库各形态氮素含量和土壤酶活性在垂直分布上均呈现先显著下降(0—20 cm)后稳定(20—100 cm)的趋势;在20—30 cm土层,除裸沙的无机氮、铵态氮以及藻-地衣混生结皮的硝态氮外,其余速效氮(无机氮、硝态氮、铵态氮)含量具有增加的特点。2)土壤各氮库含量与全磷、有机碳、电导率、土壤脲酶和亮氨酸氨基肽酶活性呈正相关,与pH、土壤含水率呈负相关。3)利用氮循环相关指标建立土壤氮循环多功能...     

Response of desert biological soil crusts to alterations in precipitation frequency

Biological soil crusts, a community of cyanobacteria, lichens, and mosses that live on the soil surface, occur in deserts throughout the world. They are a critical component of desert ecosystems, as they are important contributors to soil fertility and stability. Future climate scenarios predict alteration of the timing and amount of precipitation in desert environments. Because biological soil crust organisms are only metabolically active when wet, and as soil surfaces dry quickly in deserts during late spring, summer, and early fall, the amount and timing of precipitation is likely to have significant impacts on the physiological functioning of these communities. Using the three dominant soil crust types found in the western United States, we applied three levels of precipitation frequency (50% below-average, average, and 50% above-average) while maintaining average precipitation amount (therefore changing both timing and size of applied events). We measured the impact of these treatments on photosynthetic performance (as indicated by dark-adapted quantum yield and chlorophyll a concentrations), nitrogenase activity, and the ability of these organisms to maintain concentrations of radiation-protective pigments (scytonemin, beta-carotene, echinenone, xanthophylls, and canthaxanthin). Increased precipitation frequency produced little response after 2.5 months exposure during spring (1 April–15 June) or summer (15 June–31 August). In contrast, most of the above variables had a large, negative response after exposure to increased precipitation frequency for 6 months spring–fall (1 April–31 October) treatment. The crusts dominated by the soil lichen Collema, being dark and protruding above the surface, dried the most rapidly, followed by the dark surface cyanobacterial crusts (Nostoc-Scytonema-Microcoleus), and then by the light cyanobacterial crusts (Microcoleus). This order reflected the magnitude of the observed response: crusts dominated by the lichen Collema showed the largest decline in quantum yield, chlorophyll a, and protective pigments; crusts dominated by Nostoc-Scytonema-Microcoleus showed an intermediate decline in these variables; and the crusts dominated by Microcoleus showed the least negative response. Most previous studies of crust response to radiation stress have been short-term laboratory studies, where organisms were watered and kept under moderate temperatures. Such conditions would give crust organisms access to ample carbon to respond to imposed stresses (e.g., production of UV-protective pigments, replacement of degraded chlorophyll). In contrast, our longer-term study showed that under field conditions of high air temperatures and frequent, small precipitation events, crust organisms appear unable to produce protective pigments in response to radiation stress, as they likely dried more quickly than when they received larger, less frequent events. Reduced activity time likely resulted in less carbon available to produce or repair chlorophyll a and/or protective pigments. Our findings may partially explain the global observation that soil lichen cover and richness declines as the frequency of summer rainfall increases.     

Germination and seedling establishment of two annual grasses on lichen-dominated biological soil crusts

Biological soil crusts dominated by lichens are common components of shrub-steppe ecosystems in northwestern US. We conducted growth chamber experiments to investigate the effects of these crusts on seed germination and initial seedling establishment of two annual grasses; the highly invasive exotic Bromus tectorum L. and the native Vulpia microstachys Nutt. We recorded germination time courses on bare soil and two types of biological soil crusts; one composed predominantly of the lichen Diploschistes muscorum (Scop.) R. Sant. (lichen crust) and the other comprised of an assortment of lichens and mosses (mixed crust). Final germination on the lichen crust for both grass species was about a third of that on the bare soil surface. Mean germination time (MGT) was 3–4 days longer on the lichen crust compared with the bare soil. In contrast, there was no difference in germination percentage or MGT between the mixed crust and bare soil, and results were similar for both grass species. For both species, root penetration of germinating seeds on the lichen crust was lower than on the bare soil or mixed crust surfaces. The combined effects of the lichen crust on germination and root penetration resulted in an overall reduction in seedling establishment of 78% for V. microstachys and 85% for B. tectorum relative to the bare soil treatment. Our results clearly demonstrate that lichen-dominated biological soil crust can inhibit germination and root penetration, but the extent of these effects depends on the composition of the crust. Responsible Editor: Tibor Kalapos