Biological soil crusts modulate nitrogen availability in semi-arid ecosystems: insights from a Mediterranean grassland
@article{CastilloMonroy2009BiologicalSC, title={Biological soil crusts modulate nitrogen availability in semi-arid ecosystems: insights from a Mediterranean grassland}, author={Andrea P. Castillo-Monroy and F. Maestre and Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo and A. Gallardo}, journal={Plant and Soil}, year={2009}, volume={333}, pages={21-34} }
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) greatly influence the N cycle of semi-arid ecosystems, as some organisms forming them are able to fix atmospheric N. However, BSCs are not always taken into account when studying biotic controls on N cycling and transformations. Our main objective was to understand how BSCs modulate the availability of N in a semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem dominated by the tussock grass Stipa tenacissima. We selected the six most frequent soil cover types in the study area: S… CONTINUE READING
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