Study Reveals Key Role of Moss Crust Patch Size in Desert Soil Phosphorus Dynamics

Moss crusts, an advanced form of biological soil crusts, play a crucial role in stabilizing soil phosphorus levels in desert ecosystems. A recent study, published in Catena, highlights how patch size influences soil phosphorus fractions in biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert, China.

Led by Prof. ZHANG Yuanming from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the researchers examined the relationship between patch size and soil phosphorus fractions. 

By collecting 180 samples of moss crusts of different patch sizes from three sampling sites across the desert, they employed linear regression analysis and structural equation model to assess both direct and indirect effects of patch size on soil phosphorus fractions.

They found that in moss crust patches, the hard-to-use HCl-Pi was predominant. As the patch size increases, the growth of moss crusts promotes the transformation of soil inorganic phosphorus into organic phosphorus, resulting in decreased soil phosphorus bioavailability. Furthermore, the study revealed that patch size indirectly affects soil phosphorus fractions by influencing soil nutrients, metal elements, and phosphatase activity.

This study provides insights into soil phosphorus dynamics and emphasizes the ecological importance of biological soil crusts in desert ecosystems, providing valuable knowledge for initiatives aimed at desert ecosystem restoration.

Article link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.108821

Contact

LONG Huaping

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn