REVIEW

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

  • Jiancheng ZHAO , 1 ,
  • Yunpu ZHENG 1 ,
  • Bingchang ZHANG 2,3 ,
  • Ying CHEN 4 ,
  • Yuanming ZHANG 2
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  • 1. College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050016, China
  • 2. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumuqi 830011, China
  • 3. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • 4. College of Biological Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang 050061, China

Received date: 08 Sep 2008

Accepted date: 18 Sep 2008

Published date: 05 Jun 2009

Copyright

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Abstract

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.

Cite this article

Jiancheng ZHAO , Yunpu ZHENG , Bingchang ZHANG , Ying CHEN , Yuanming ZHANG . Progress in the study of algae and mosses in biological soil crusts[J]. Frontiers in Biology, 2009 , 4(2) : 143 -150 . DOI: 10.1007/s11515-008-0104-0

Acknowledgements

The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40571085 and 30670152), the National Infrastructure of Natural Resources for Science and Technology (No. 2005DKA21403), Science and Social Practice Foundation of Graduate Students in Chinese Academy of Sciences (Investigation on Algal Distribution in Gurbantunggut Desert, Xinjiang, China)
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