Soil Microbiome, Earth's 'Living Skin' Under Threat from Climate Change
Published:17 Sep.2023 Source:Penn State
"Biocrusts currently cover approximately 12% of Earth's terrestrial surface, and we expect them to decrease by about 25% to 40% within 65 years due to climate change and land-use intensification," said team leader Estelle Couradeau, Penn State assistant professor of soils and environmental microbiology. "We hope this work can pave the way to understanding the microbial functions supporting biocrust resilience to the rapidly changing climate patterns and more frequent droughts."
Biological soil crusts are assemblages of organisms that form a perennial, well-organized surface layer in soils. They are widespread, occurring on all of the continents wherever a shortage of water limits the growth of common plants, allowing light to reach bare soil. But there is still sufficient water to support the growth of microorganisms that perform valuable ecosystem services such as taking carbon and nitrogen from the air and fixing them in the soil, recycling nutrients and holding soil particles together, which helps prevent dust.
That soil-stabilizing function -- which reduces erosion by providing the means for soil to clump and not break down into dust -- is extremely important, according to Couradeau. Her research group, now in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has been intensively studying biocrusts for a decade.