Maestre Fernando T, Bowker Matthew A, Cantón Yolanda, Castillo-Monroy Andrea P, Cortina Jordi, Escolar Cristina, Escudero Adrián, Lázaro Roberto, Martínez Isabel
Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain.
Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Almería, La Cañada de San Urbano S/N, 04120, Almería, Spain.
J Arid Environ. 2011 Dec 1;75(12):1282-1291. doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.12.008.
Biological soil crusts (BSCs), composed of lichens, cyanobacteria, mosses, liverworts and microorganisms, are key biotic components of arid and semi-arid ecosystems worldwide. Despite they are widespread in Spain, these organisms have been historically understudied in this country. This trend is beginning to change as a recent wave of research has been identifying BSCs as a model ecological system. Many studies and research projects carried out in Spain have explored the role of BSCs on water, carbon and nitrogen fluxes, the interactions between BSCs and vascular plants, their dynamics after disturbances, and their response to global change, among other topics. In this article we review the growing body of research on BSCs available from semi-arid areas of Spain, highlighting its importance for increasing our knowledge on this group of organisms. We also discuss how it is breaking new ground in emerging research areas on the ecology of BSCs, and how it can be use to guide management and restoration efforts. Finally, we provide directions for future research on the ecology of BSCs in Spain and abroad.
生物土壤结皮（BSCs）由地衣、蓝细菌、苔藓、叶苔和微生物组成，是全球干旱和半干旱生态系统的关键生物组成部分。尽管它们在西班牙广泛分布，但这些生物在该国历来研究不足。随着最近一波研究将生物土壤结皮视为一个典型生态系统，这种趋势开始发生变化。西班牙开展的许多研究和研究项目探讨了生物土壤结皮在水、碳和氮通量方面的作用、生物土壤结皮与维管植物之间的相互作用、干扰后的动态变化以及它们对全球变化的响应等主题。在本文中，我们回顾了来自西班牙半干旱地区关于生物土壤结皮的越来越多的研究，强调其对于增进我们对这组生物的了解的重要性。我们还讨论了它如何在生物土壤结皮生态学的新兴研究领域开辟新的天地，以及如何利用它来指导管理和恢复工作。最后，我们为西班牙国内外生物土壤结皮生态学的未来研究提供了方向。
