Biological soil crusts decrease infiltration but increase erosion resistance in a human-disturbed tropical dry forest

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  • University of Kaiserslautern
  • University of Kassel
  • Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
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Original languageEnglish
Article number1136322
JournalFrontiers in microbiology
Volume14
Publication statusPublished - 20 Apr 2023

Abstract

Under continuous human disturbance, regeneration is the basis for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem service provision. In tropical dry forests, edaphic ecosystem engineering by biological soil crusts (biocrusts) could impact regeneration by influencing erosion control and soil water and nutrient fluxes, which impact landscape hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effect of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on water infiltration and aggregate stability in a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (NE Brazil), a system characterized by high levels of forest degradation and increasing aridity. By trapping dust and swelling of cyanobacterial filaments, biocrusts can seal soil surfaces and slow down infiltration, which potentially induces erosion. To quantify hydraulic properties and erosion control, we used minidisc-infiltrometry, raindrop-simulation, and wet sieving at two sites with contrasting disturbance levels: an active cashew plantation and an abandoned field experiencing forest regeneration, both characterized by sandy soils. Under disturbance, biocrusts had a stronger negative impact on infiltration (reduction by 42% vs. 37% during regeneration), although biocrusts under regenerating conditions had the lowest absolute sorptivity (0.042 ± 0.02 cm s−1/2) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0.0015 ± 0.0008 cm s−1), with a doubled water repellency. Biocrusts provided high soil aggregate stability although stability increased considerably with progression of biocrust succession (raindrop simulation disturbed: 0.19 ± 0.22 J vs. regenerating: 0.54 ± 0.22 J). The formation of stable aggregates by early successional biocrusts on sandy soils suggests protection of dry forest soils even on the worst land use/soil degradation scenario with a high soil erosion risk. Our results confirm that biocrusts covering bare interspaces between vascular plants in human-modified landscapes play an important role in surface water availability and erosion control. Biocrusts have the potential to reduce land degradation, but their associated ecosystem services like erosion protection, can be impaired by disturbance. Considering an average biocrust coverage of 8.1% of the Caatinga landscapes, further research should aim to quantify the contribution of biocrusts to forest recovery to fully understand the role they play in the functioning of this poorly explored ecosystem.

Keywords

    aggregate stability, biological soil crust, ecosystem engineer, ecosystem services, regeneration, tropical dry forest, water infiltration and sorptivity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

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Biological soil crusts decrease infiltration but increase erosion resistance in a human-disturbed tropical dry forest. / Szyja, Michelle; Felde, Vincent J.M.N.L.; Lückel, Sara et al.
In: Frontiers in microbiology, Vol. 14, 1136322, 20.04.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Szyja M, Felde VJMNL, Lückel S, Tabarelli M, Leal IR, Büdel B et al. Biological soil crusts decrease infiltration but increase erosion resistance in a human-disturbed tropical dry forest. Frontiers in microbiology. 2023 Apr 20;14:1136322. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1136322
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title = "Biological soil crusts decrease infiltration but increase erosion resistance in a human-disturbed tropical dry forest",
abstract = "Under continuous human disturbance, regeneration is the basis for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem service provision. In tropical dry forests, edaphic ecosystem engineering by biological soil crusts (biocrusts) could impact regeneration by influencing erosion control and soil water and nutrient fluxes, which impact landscape hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effect of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on water infiltration and aggregate stability in a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (NE Brazil), a system characterized by high levels of forest degradation and increasing aridity. By trapping dust and swelling of cyanobacterial filaments, biocrusts can seal soil surfaces and slow down infiltration, which potentially induces erosion. To quantify hydraulic properties and erosion control, we used minidisc-infiltrometry, raindrop-simulation, and wet sieving at two sites with contrasting disturbance levels: an active cashew plantation and an abandoned field experiencing forest regeneration, both characterized by sandy soils. Under disturbance, biocrusts had a stronger negative impact on infiltration (reduction by 42% vs. 37% during regeneration), although biocrusts under regenerating conditions had the lowest absolute sorptivity (0.042 ± 0.02 cm s−1/2) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0.0015 ± 0.0008 cm s−1), with a doubled water repellency. Biocrusts provided high soil aggregate stability although stability increased considerably with progression of biocrust succession (raindrop simulation disturbed: 0.19 ± 0.22 J vs. regenerating: 0.54 ± 0.22 J). The formation of stable aggregates by early successional biocrusts on sandy soils suggests protection of dry forest soils even on the worst land use/soil degradation scenario with a high soil erosion risk. Our results confirm that biocrusts covering bare interspaces between vascular plants in human-modified landscapes play an important role in surface water availability and erosion control. Biocrusts have the potential to reduce land degradation, but their associated ecosystem services like erosion protection, can be impaired by disturbance. Considering an average biocrust coverage of 8.1% of the Caatinga landscapes, further research should aim to quantify the contribution of biocrusts to forest recovery to fully understand the role they play in the functioning of this poorly explored ecosystem.",
keywords = "aggregate stability, biological soil crust, ecosystem engineer, ecosystem services, regeneration, tropical dry forest, water infiltration and sorptivity",
author = "Michelle Szyja and Felde, {Vincent J.M.N.L.} and Sara L{\"u}ckel and Marcelo Tabarelli and Leal, {Inara R.} and Burkhard B{\"u}del and Rainer Wirth",
note = "Acknowledgements: IL and MT acknowledge CNPq for productivity grants and MT also acknowledges the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany) for a research grant. The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of the Leibniz Universit{\"a}t Hannover. Funding Information: This study was funded by the Coordena{\c c}{\~a}o de Aperfei{\c c}oamento de Pessoal de N{\'i}vel Superior (CAPES project ID: 88881.030482/2013-01), the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient{\'i}fico e Tecnol{\'o}gico (CNPq-PELD project ID: 403770/2012-2) and by the German-Brazilian PROBRAL program (CAPES process 88881.030482/2013-01; DAAD project ID: 57413496) to RW, IL, and MT. ",
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doi = "10.3389/fmicb.2023.1136322",
language = "English",
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journal = "Frontiers in microbiology",
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TY - JOUR

T1 - Biological soil crusts decrease infiltration but increase erosion resistance in a human-disturbed tropical dry forest

AU - Szyja, Michelle

AU - Felde, Vincent J.M.N.L.

AU - Lückel, Sara

AU - Tabarelli, Marcelo

AU - Leal, Inara R.

AU - Büdel, Burkhard

AU - Wirth, Rainer

N1 - Acknowledgements: IL and MT acknowledge CNPq for productivity grants and MT also acknowledges the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany) for a research grant. The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of the Leibniz Universität Hannover. Funding Information: This study was funded by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES project ID: 88881.030482/2013-01), the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-PELD project ID: 403770/2012-2) and by the German-Brazilian PROBRAL program (CAPES process 88881.030482/2013-01; DAAD project ID: 57413496) to RW, IL, and MT.

PY - 2023/4/20

Y1 - 2023/4/20

N2 - Under continuous human disturbance, regeneration is the basis for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem service provision. In tropical dry forests, edaphic ecosystem engineering by biological soil crusts (biocrusts) could impact regeneration by influencing erosion control and soil water and nutrient fluxes, which impact landscape hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effect of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on water infiltration and aggregate stability in a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (NE Brazil), a system characterized by high levels of forest degradation and increasing aridity. By trapping dust and swelling of cyanobacterial filaments, biocrusts can seal soil surfaces and slow down infiltration, which potentially induces erosion. To quantify hydraulic properties and erosion control, we used minidisc-infiltrometry, raindrop-simulation, and wet sieving at two sites with contrasting disturbance levels: an active cashew plantation and an abandoned field experiencing forest regeneration, both characterized by sandy soils. Under disturbance, biocrusts had a stronger negative impact on infiltration (reduction by 42% vs. 37% during regeneration), although biocrusts under regenerating conditions had the lowest absolute sorptivity (0.042 ± 0.02 cm s−1/2) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0.0015 ± 0.0008 cm s−1), with a doubled water repellency. Biocrusts provided high soil aggregate stability although stability increased considerably with progression of biocrust succession (raindrop simulation disturbed: 0.19 ± 0.22 J vs. regenerating: 0.54 ± 0.22 J). The formation of stable aggregates by early successional biocrusts on sandy soils suggests protection of dry forest soils even on the worst land use/soil degradation scenario with a high soil erosion risk. Our results confirm that biocrusts covering bare interspaces between vascular plants in human-modified landscapes play an important role in surface water availability and erosion control. Biocrusts have the potential to reduce land degradation, but their associated ecosystem services like erosion protection, can be impaired by disturbance. Considering an average biocrust coverage of 8.1% of the Caatinga landscapes, further research should aim to quantify the contribution of biocrusts to forest recovery to fully understand the role they play in the functioning of this poorly explored ecosystem.

AB - Under continuous human disturbance, regeneration is the basis for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem service provision. In tropical dry forests, edaphic ecosystem engineering by biological soil crusts (biocrusts) could impact regeneration by influencing erosion control and soil water and nutrient fluxes, which impact landscape hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effect of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on water infiltration and aggregate stability in a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (NE Brazil), a system characterized by high levels of forest degradation and increasing aridity. By trapping dust and swelling of cyanobacterial filaments, biocrusts can seal soil surfaces and slow down infiltration, which potentially induces erosion. To quantify hydraulic properties and erosion control, we used minidisc-infiltrometry, raindrop-simulation, and wet sieving at two sites with contrasting disturbance levels: an active cashew plantation and an abandoned field experiencing forest regeneration, both characterized by sandy soils. Under disturbance, biocrusts had a stronger negative impact on infiltration (reduction by 42% vs. 37% during regeneration), although biocrusts under regenerating conditions had the lowest absolute sorptivity (0.042 ± 0.02 cm s−1/2) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0.0015 ± 0.0008 cm s−1), with a doubled water repellency. Biocrusts provided high soil aggregate stability although stability increased considerably with progression of biocrust succession (raindrop simulation disturbed: 0.19 ± 0.22 J vs. regenerating: 0.54 ± 0.22 J). The formation of stable aggregates by early successional biocrusts on sandy soils suggests protection of dry forest soils even on the worst land use/soil degradation scenario with a high soil erosion risk. Our results confirm that biocrusts covering bare interspaces between vascular plants in human-modified landscapes play an important role in surface water availability and erosion control. Biocrusts have the potential to reduce land degradation, but their associated ecosystem services like erosion protection, can be impaired by disturbance. Considering an average biocrust coverage of 8.1% of the Caatinga landscapes, further research should aim to quantify the contribution of biocrusts to forest recovery to fully understand the role they play in the functioning of this poorly explored ecosystem.

KW - aggregate stability

KW - biological soil crust

KW - ecosystem engineer

KW - ecosystem services

KW - regeneration

KW - tropical dry forest

KW - water infiltration and sorptivity

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U2 - 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1136322

DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1136322

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85158060774

VL - 14

JO - Frontiers in microbiology

JF - Frontiers in microbiology

SN - 1664-302X

M1 - 1136322

ER -

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