Synergistic effects of abiotic and microbiotic soil surface properties on dust emission potential in a wind-impacted landscape of the Chihuahua Desert

Authors: SWEENEY, MARK - University Of South Dakota; James, Darren; ROMERO-OLIVARES, ANDRIANA - University Of California, Riverside; PIETRASIAK, NICOLE - University Of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nv

Submitted to: Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2026
Publication Date: 7/30/2026
Citation: Sweeney, M., James, D.K., Romero-Olivares, A., Pietrasiak, N. 2026. Synergistic effects of abiotic and microbiotic soil surface properties on dust emission potential in a wind-impacted landscape of the Chihuahua Desert. Ecological Society of America (ESA). Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: Soil stability in drylands is necessary for preventing dust emissions and manintiaing air quality. Disturbances to the soil surface can adversely affect soil stability, resulting in dust emission and diminished air quality. Current global change stressors may intensify dust emissions; therefore, understanding the controlling factors and developing strategies for mitigation is imperative. Although the individual roles of moisture, physical, chemical, and biological soil factors in mitigating wind erosion and enhancing soil stability have been extensively studied, integrated research on these abiotic and biotic aspects is limited. In particular, biological soil crusts and their components, including bacteria, fungi, lichen, and mosses, play different roles in stabilizing the soil. Research at White Sands National Park in New Mexico, USA, indicates that fungi may play an important role in stabilizing the soil along with other microbial components within soil crusts. This research, using an integrative understanding of dust potential and erosion control drivers, offers insights to improve dyland management strategies under increasing global change stressors on soil loss in drylands.

Technical Abstract: Soil stability is a crucial ecosystem service provided by drylands. Disturbances to the soil surface, whether natural or anthropogenic, can adversely affect this service, resulting in dust emission and diminished air quality. Current global change stressors may intensify dust emissions; therefore, understanding the controlling factors and developing strategies for mitigation is imperative. Although the individual roles of moisture, physical, chemical, and biological soil factors in mitigating wind erosion and enhancing soil stability have been extensively studied, integrated research on these abiotic and biotic aspects is limited. We investigated how topsoils, varying in texture, moisture, and microbial biomass, influence the dust emission potential across different landforms at White Sands National Park, New Mexico. The landforms examined included playas, active dunes and interdunes, stabilized parabolic dunes and interdunes, and loess deposits. Topsoil properties such as aggregate strength, bulk density, soil moisture, and texture were characterized. Microbial composition and biomass were assessed through phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA). The potential for dust emission was assessed in terms of amounts of particulate matter less than 10 µm (PM10) and total suspended particulates (TSP) dislodged using the Portable In Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL). The dust emission potential clustered into four categories: sites with unconsolidated sediments, weakly consolidated soil crusts, biological and physical soil crusts, and chemically cemented crusts. Results indicate that soil texture and microbial biomass collectively significantly influenced soil stability and dust emission potential. Specifically, the content of clay, and the abundance of saprophytic fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and gram-positive bacteria showed moderate to strong negative correlations with dust emission potential. Consequently, landforms that support microbial growth, such as interdunes, likely act as dust traps, enhancing soil stability through increased clay and silt particles, which promote soil aggregation, water retention, and microbial communities like biological crusts. This study offers valuable insights into the synergistic effects of abiotic and biotic factors in promoting soil stability and mitigating wind erosion. Such understanding will inform strategies to address the impacts of global change stressors on soil erosion in dryland environments.