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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #331288
Title: Biological soil crust and disturbance controls on surface hydrology in a semi-arid ecosystem

Author
item FAIST, A. - University Of Colorado
item Herrick, Jeffrey
item BELNAP, JAYNE - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item Van Zee, Justin
item BARGER, NICOLE - University Of Colorado

Submitted to: Ecosphere
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/27/2016
Publication Date: 3/10/2017
Citation: Faist, A., Herrick, J.E., Belnap, J., Van Zee, J.W., Barger, N. 2017. Biological soil crust and disturbance controls on surface hydrology in a semi-arid ecosystem. Ecosphere. 8(3). Article e01691. https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fecs2.1691.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fecs2.1691

Interpretive Summary: Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) often plan an important role in controlling infiltration, runoff and erosion in dryland ecosystems, but relatively little is known about how different types and levels of disturbance modify hydrology. This rainfall simulation study showed that disturbance of dark, late-successional biocrusts on sandy soils in southeast Utah reduced infiltration and increased water erosion, while the opposite occurred on light, early-successional crusts. This suggests that, where improving hydrology and reducing erosion is a primary management objective, limiting disturbance of dark crusts on sandy soils in this area may be helpful. Limiting disturbance of lighter crusts may also be beneficial as they will often eventually develop into dark crusts.

Technical Abstract: Biological soil crust communities (biocrusts) play an important role in surface hydrologic processes in dryland ecosystems, and these processes may then be dramatically altered with soil surface disturbance. In this study, we examined biocrust hydrologic responses to disturbance at different developmental stages on sandy soils on the Colorado Plateau. Our results showed that all disturbance (trampling, scalping and trampling+scalping) of the early successional light cyanobacterial biocrusts generally reduced runoff. In contrast, trampling well-developed dark-cyano-lichen biocrusts increased runoff and sediment loss relative to intact controls. Scalping did not increase runoff, implying that soil aggregate structure was important to the infiltration process. Well-developed, intact dark biocrusts generally had lower runoff, low sediment loss, and highest aggregate stability whereas the less-developed light biocrusts were highest in runoff and sediment loss when compared to the controls. These results suggest the importance of maintaining the well-developed dark biocrusts, as they are beneficial for lowering runoff and reducing soil loss and redistribution on the landscape. These data also suggest that upslope patches of light biocrust may place downslope biocrusts patches at risk of disruption and loss, given that light patches increase runoff and thus soil erosion potential.