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Drylands are a widely degraded biome characterized by low productivity and high abiotic stress. Biological soil crust (biocrust) inoculants hold promise as a rehabilitation material in drylands, useful for boosting ecosystem functions including stabilization of eroding soil surfaces. However, biocrust materials cultivated ex situ by humans inconsistently establish under field conditions. We tested two approaches aimed at improving field establishment of biocrust inoculum: exposing the organisms within the inoculum to abiotic stress in an attempt to harden them, and applying habitat ameliorations intended to reduce the stressfulness of the environment. We hypothesized that both approaches in concert would lead to the most consistent field establishment of biocrusts. Overall, addition of biocrust inoculum did enhance biocrust establishment over the 1.5‐year duration of the study but did not result in full recovery. Generally, hardened biocrust inoculum performed no better than inoculum that was not hardened, although one indicator (chlorophylla) was enhanced by addition of hardened inoculum in some circumstances. Temporary irrigation was initially an effective habitat amelioration but had no effect on biocrust establishment by 1.5 years. In contrast, application of jute net to the soil surface promoted biocrust establishment both in synergy with and in the absence of inoculum addition. We hypothesize that jute net stabilizes the soil surface, reduces abiotic stress, and enhances resource availability, overcoming barriers to establishment of biocrusts. Currently, there is broad support for the efficacy of habitat amelioration approaches in biocrust rehabilitation, but effective hardening techniques remain elusive.
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High impact of bacterial predation on cyanobacteria in soil biocrusts
Abstract Diverse bacteria lead a life as pathogens or predators of other bacteria in many environments. However, their impact on emerging ecological processes in natural settings remains to be assessed. Here we describe a novel type of obligate, intracellular predatory bacterium of widespread distribution that preys on soil cyanobacteria in biocrusts. The predator,CandidatusCyanoraptor togatus, causes localized, cm-sized epidemics that are visible to the naked eye, obliterates cyanobacterial net primary productivity, and severely impacts crucial biocrust properties like nitrogen cycling, dust trapping and moisture retention. The combined effects of high localized morbidity and areal incidence result in decreases approaching 10% of biocrust productivity at the ecosystem scale. Our findings show that bacterial predation can be an important loss factor shaping not only the structure but also the function of microbial communities.
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- PAR ID:
- 10369749
- Publisher / Repository:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nature Communications
- Volume:
- 13
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2041-1723
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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