Broader Impacts for Ecologists: Biological Soil Crust as a Model System for Education

Abstract

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are a complex community of algae, cyanobacteria, lichens, bryophytes, and assorted bacteria, fungi, archaea, and bacteriophages that colonize the soil surface. Biocrusts are particularly common in drylands and are found in arid and semiarid ecosystems worldwide. While diminutive in size, biocrusts often cover large terrestrial areas, provide numerous ecosystem benefits, enhance biodiversity, and are found in multiple configurations and assemblages across different climate and disturbance regimes. Biocrusts have been a focus of many ecologists, especially those working in semiarid and arid lands, as biocrusts are foundational community members, play fundamental roles in ecosystem processes, and offer rare opportunities to study biological interactions at small and large spatial scales. Due to these same characteristics, biocrusts have the potential to serve as an excellent teaching tool. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the utility of biocrust communities as a model system in science education. Functioning as portable, dynamic mini ecosystems, biocrusts can be used to teach about organisms, biodiversity, biotic interactions, abiotic controls, ecosystem processes, and even global change, and can be easy to use in nearly every classroom setup. For example, education principles, such as evolution and adaptation to stress, or structure and function (patterns and processes) can be applied by bringing biocrusts into the classroom as a teaching tool. In addition, discussing the utility of biocrusts in the classroom – including theory, hypothesis testing, experimentation, and hands-on learning – this document also provides tips and resources for developing education tools and activities geared toward impactful learning.

What is a biocrust? A refined, contemporary definition for a broadening research community

“…We also hope that this review will improve our ability to synthesize biocrust ecology and uncover linkages across studies and study systems. Finally, we hope this review stimulates the use of biocrusts as a model system (Faist et al ., 2021) to teach scientific concepts in the classroom, to improve scientific literacy and connection to nature in the general public, and we encourage the incorporation of biocrusts into land‐management decision making.…”

Threats to sustainability in face of post-pandemic scenarios and the war in Ukraine

“…Negative changes have also been observed in the past in areas subject to intense military activities in soil biology. Microbial activity, earthworm and arthropod communities [11,73] and biocrusts, complex communities of numerous organisms, including algae, cyanobacteria, lichens, and assorted bacteria or fungi, among others, that colonize the soil surface and provide numerous ecosystem benefits, such as nitrogen fixation, erosion prevention and shelter for plant germination and growth, thus greatly enhancing biodiversity [74].…”

Soil–Plant–Microbe Interactions Determine Soil Biological Fertility by Altering Rhizospheric Nutrient Cycling and Biocrust Formation

“…Previous reviews considered, for example, mechanisms of PGPR [27], PGPRs as biofertilizers [9], PG-PRs as inducers of salinity stress resistance in plants [28], or as environmental remediation agents [29]. Additionally, some authors reviewed biocrusts in the mesic environment [30] or as ecological restorative agents [31]. This study deals with major rhizospheric microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, nematodes), their inter-and intra-interactions with root exudates, macronutrients present in soil, and in the formation of biocrusts.…”