Characteristics of surface runoff in a sandy area in southern Mu Us sandy land

Interactive Effects of Moss-Dominated Crusts andArtemisia ordosicaon Wind Erosion and Soil Moisture in Mu Us Sandland, China

“…The results of our study showed that moss-dominated crusts reduced the water infiltration depths and retained rainwater in shallow soils and these results were similar to those found in previous studies [16, 22]. This phenomenon could be explained by three factors: (1) BSCs in the Mu Us sandland were not water repellent and they can absorb a large amount of water [14]; (2) the formation of BSCs on the surface of sand dunes caused a decrease in soil particle size [35], and the water-holding capacity of subsurface soil was largely enhanced [36]; (3) during rainfall events, dust that had fallen on the crusts and swelled microbial exudates (e.g., extracellular polymeric substances) sealed the matrix porosity of BSCs [37, 38] and prolonged the time that water remained on the surface of BSCs [14]. A study in the Tengger Desert found that BSCs reduced the rainwater infiltration depths when the daily rainfall was below 10 mm [39], which is supported by the results presented in this study.…”

Effects of differing coverage of moss-dominated soil crusts on hydrological processes and implications for disturbance in the Mu Us Sandland, China

“…These effects reduced the hydraulic conductivity of the soil surface and prolonged the time at which water remained on the surface of the BSCs (Wu et al ., ). Moreover, the soil water‐holding capacity of crusts and subsurface soil was greater (Duan et al ., ) than that of bare sand, and BSCs in the Mu Us Sandland can absorb a large amount of water when BSCs are dry (Wu et al ., ). Consequently, the main effects of moss‐dominated crusts in deserts on rainfall infiltration are to reduce infiltration depths and to retain the limited rainfall in shallow soil.…”

“…Other researchers found that the development of BSCs exacerbated the decrease in soil moisture in deep layers (Gao et al ., ). However, most studies of the influence of BSCs on water infiltration, evaporation and soil moisture have been conducted in arid regions, and limited research has been conducted on these aspects in the Mu Us Sandland where the annual average rainfall reached approximately 400 mm (Wu et al ., ). Exploring the effects of BSCs on infiltration, evaporation and soil moisture in the Mu Us Sandland is useful to identify the effects of BSCs on hydrological processes in this region and is also an important supplement to research on global BSCs.…”

Biocrust research: A critical view on eight common hydrological‐related paradigms and dubious theses

“…2.4 | Climate-driven crust morphology determines crust hydrology up to 40% lichens and mosses) and rolling crust (crusts predominated by lichens and mosses) increase infiltration. Although widely accepted (Chamizo, Cantón, Lázaro, Sole-Benet, & Domingo, 2012;Chamizo, Cantón, Rodríguez-Caballero, & Domingo, 2016;Eldridge et al, 2010; Rodríguez-Caballero, Cantón, Chamizo, Lázaro, & Escudero, 2013;Wu, Hasi, & Wu, 2012), it was never conclusively verified, as pointed out by Xiao, Wang, Zhao, and Shao (2011) and Kidron, Monger, Vonshak, and Conrod (2012). Moreover, it relies on shaky geomorphological and hydrological ground and contains inner contradictions.…”

“…Whereas field measurements conducted at NRS found that mossdominated crusts slightly increase infiltration in comparison with most cyanobacterial crusts (Kidron et al, 2003), there are also contradictory reports, which report on higher run-off yield from mosses in comparison with cyanobactera (Belnap, 2006;Wu et al, 2012;Yang, Bu, Mu, Shao, & Zhang, 2014). Most researchers report however on higher infiltration rates on mosses (Brotherson & Rushforth, 1983;Chamizo et al, 2012;Duan, Xiao, Li, Dong, & Wang, 2004;Eldridge et al, 2010;Fischer et al, 2012;Gao, Ye, Chu, & Dong, 2010;Lichner et al, 2013;West, 1990;Xiao et al, 2011).…”