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Response Changes in Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs) to Different Sand-Fixing Plantations in Alpine Sandy Land
Xionglian Jin1, Feng Qiao2,3, Zhe Chen2,3
1College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China.
Biology
|June 25, 2026
Summary
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) improve soil properties and drive bacterial community changes in alpine sandy lands. Key factors like nutrients and water content shape these microbial communities, aiding ecological restoration.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Soil Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are crucial for ecosystem stability in arid, semi-arid, and marginal environments.
- Understanding BSC development and their impact on soil microbial communities is vital for ecological restoration.
- Alpine sandy lands present unique challenges for vegetation establishment and soil health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different sand-fixing plantations on BSC development and soil properties.
- To analyze the bacterial community structure within BSCs and their relationship with soil physicochemical factors.
- To identify key environmental drivers shaping bacterial communities in alpine BSCs for restoration strategies.
Main Methods:
- Field study with four sand-fixing plantation types (Salix psammophila, Caragana korshinskii, Salix cheilophila, Populus simonii) in alpine sandy land.
- Collection and analysis of soil samples from bare sand, algae crusts, and moss crusts.
- Determination of soil particle size, physicochemical properties (e.g., SWC, nutrients, pH), enzyme activities, and bacterial community composition via high-throughput sequencing.
Main Results:
- BSCs, progressing from algae to moss crusts, showed increased fine particle content, soil water content (SWC), nutrients, and enzyme activities.
- Dominant bacterial phyla in BSCs included Pseudomonadota, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Vibrionota.
- BSCs significantly influenced bacterial community differentiation during succession, while forest stands affected spatial distribution. Key factors shaping communities were available phosphorus (AP), alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), soil organic matter (SOM), catalase (CAT), pH, SWC, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).
Conclusions:
- BSCs enhance soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities, creating favorable conditions for microbial life.
- Bacterial community structure in BSCs is significantly shaped by soil properties, with BSC succession driving microbial differentiation.
- This research provides a mechanistic understanding of ecological restoration through BSCs in alpine sandy lands, offering a basis for future restoration efforts.
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