Patterns and Controls on Nitrogen Cycling of Biological Soil Crusts

Barger, Nichole N.; Weber, Bettina; García-Pichel, Ferrán; Zaady, Eli; Belnap, Jayne

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_14

Cited by 134 publications

(147 citation statements)

References 112 publications

(143 reference statements)

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“…The total ammonia loss due to volatilisation was estimated to be about 500 nmol m −2 day −1 , similar to reported values of 540 ∼ 1000 nmol m −2 day −1 from intact biocrusts on the Colorado Plateau (Evans and Johansen, 1999;Barger et al, 2016). We then evaluate N 2 O release from the biocrust (indicative of denitrification); the results in Fig.…”

Section: Diurnal Cycles Of Gaseous Efflux From Saturated Biocrustssupporting

confidence: 75%

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Kim

2017

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are selforganised thin assemblies of microbes, lichens, and mosses that are ubiquitous in arid regions and serve as important ecological and biogeochemical hotspots. Biocrust ecological function is intricately shaped by strong gradients of water, light, oxygen, and dynamics in the abundance and spatial organisation of the microbial community within a few millimetres of the soil surface. We report a mechanistic model that links the biophysical and chemical processes that shape the functioning of biocrust representative microbial communities that interact trophically and respond dynamically to cycles of hydration, light, and temperature. The model captures key features of carbon and nitrogen cycling within biocrusts, such as microbial activity and distribution (during early stages of biocrust establishment) under diurnal cycles and the associated dynamics of biogeochemical fluxes at different hydration conditions. The study offers new insights into the highly dynamic and localised processes performed by microbial communities within thin desert biocrusts.

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Section: Diurnal Cycles Of Gaseous Efflux From Saturated Biocrustssupporting

confidence: 75%

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Kim

2017

Biogeosciences

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“…Depending on the dominating photoautotrophs, cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts with an initial thin lightcolored and well-developed dark type, cyanolichen-and chlorolichen-dominated biocrusts with lichens comprising cyanobacteria or green algae as photobionts, and bryophytedominated biocrusts are distinguished (Büdel et al, 2009). Many free-living cyanobacteria but also those in symbiosis with fungi (forming lichens) and vascular plants can fix atmospheric nitrogen N 2 and convert it into ammonia (Cleveland et al, 1999;Belnap, 2002;Herridge et al, 2008;Barger et al, 2016). Globally it has been estimated that 100-290 Tg (N) yr −1 is fixed biologically (Cleveland et al, 1999), of which 49 Tg yr −1 (17-49 %) is fixed by cryptogamic covers, which comprise biocrusts, but also other microbially dominated biomes, like lichen and bryophyte communities occurring on soil, rocks and plants in boreal and tropical regions (Elbert et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emission of nitrous acid from soil and biological soil crusts represents an important source of HONO in the remote atmosphere in Cyprus

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Soil and biological soil crusts can emit nitrous acid (HONO) and nitric oxide (NO). The terrestrial ground surface in arid and semiarid regions is anticipated to play an important role in the local atmospheric HONO budget, deemed to represent one of the unaccounted-for HONO sources frequently observed in field studies. In this study HONO and NO emissions from a representative variety of soil and biological soil crust samples from the Mediterranean island Cyprus were investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. A wide range of fluxes was observed, ranging from 0.6 to 264 ng m −2 s −1 HONO-N at optimal soil water content (20-30 % of water holding capacity, WHC). Maximum NO-N fluxes at this WHC were lower (0.8-121 ng m −2 s −1 ). The highest emissions of both reactive nitrogen species were found from bare soil, followed by light and dark cyanobacteria-dominated biological soil crusts (biocrusts), correlating well with the sample nutrient levels (nitrite and nitrate). Extrapolations of lab-based HONO emission studies agree well with the unaccounted-for HONO source derived previously for the extensive CYPHEX field campaign, i.e., emissions from soil and biocrusts may essentially close the Cyprus HONO budget.

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“…Lichens and bryophytes have increasingly been recognized to play a relevant role in global biogeochemical cycles (Elbert et al, 2012;Sancho et al, 2016;Barger et al, 2016). They are globally abundant, growing on soils, rocks and epiphytically on trees.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to photosynthetic carbon uptake, lichens and bryophytes are able to fix nitrogen through symbiosis with cyanobacteria (DeLuca et al, 2002;Barger et al, 2016). Together with free-living cyanobacteria, their nitro-gen fixation was estimated to sum up to a global value of ∼ 49 (Tg N) year −1 (Elbert et al, 2012), which accounts for nearly half of the biological nitrogen fixation on land.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating global nitrous oxide emissions by lichens and bryophytes with a process-based productivity model

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Nitrous oxide is a strong greenhouse gas and atmospheric ozone-depleting agent which is largely emitted by soils. Recently, lichens and bryophytes have also been shown to release significant amounts of nitrous oxide. This finding relies on ecosystem-scale estimates of net primary productivity of lichens and bryophytes, which are converted to nitrous oxide emissions by empirical relationships between productivity and respiration, as well as between respiration and nitrous oxide release. Here we obtain an alternative estimate of nitrous oxide emissions which is based on a global process-based non-vascular vegetation model of lichens and bryophytes. The model quantifies photosynthesis and respiration of lichens and bryophytes directly as a function of environmental conditions, such as light and temperature. Nitrous oxide emissions are then derived from simulated respiration assuming a fixed relationship between the two fluxes. This approach yields a global estimate of 0.27 (0.19-0.35) (Tg N 2 O) year −1 released by lichens and bryophytes. This is lower than previous estimates but corresponds to about 50 % of the atmospheric deposition of nitrous oxide into the oceans or 25 % of the atmospheric deposition on land. Uncertainty in our simulated estimate results from large variation in emission rates due to both physiological differences between species and spatial heterogeneity of climatic conditions. To constrain our predictions, combined online gas exchange measurements of respiration and nitrous oxide emissions may be helpful.

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Patterns and Controls on Nitrogen Cycling of Biological Soil Crusts

Cited by 134 publications

References 112 publications

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Emission of nitrous acid from soil and biological soil crusts represents an important source of HONO in the remote atmosphere in Cyprus

Estimating global nitrous oxide emissions by lichens and bryophytes with a process-based productivity model

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