中国腾格里沙漠生物土壤结皮中的可培养微真菌群落

Biological soil crusts are essential components of arid ecosystems. We examined the variations in microfungal communities inhabiting different biological crust types in the vicinity of the Shapotou Research Station in the Tengger Desert, China. A total of 134 species from 66 genera were isolated using the soil dilution plate method. The mycobiota of the crusts from the Tengger Desert, similar to that of the Negev Desert in Israel, was dominated by melanin-containing species with large multicellular spores. Abundance of these xeric species increased spatially with increasing xeric conditions from moss-dominated to cyanobacterial crusts. Density of microfungal isolates displayed the opposite trend and was positively correlated with chlorophyll content, indicating the possible significant influence of organic matter content and wetness duration on fungal biomass. Within a chronosequence of the localities of different periods after sand stabilization with revegetation, little variations were revealed in species composition and isolate density of the crust microfungal communities, while a tendency towards a decrease in the community diversity level with the crust age was noted. Microfungal communities from stabilized localities differed from those of the natural localities in abundance of the dominant and some frequent species, and in the fluctuations of diversity characteristics between the cyanobacterial and moss-dominated crusts. The variations in mycobiotic parameters in the soil crusts of the Tengger Desert were apparently associated with the topographically induced variations in abiotic conditions, while the differences in microfungal community of soil crusts between the Tengger and Negev deserts, such as the significantly higher abundance of thermotolerant species in the crusts of the Tengger Deserts, were caused by the principal differences in their precipitation regimes, associated with different rainy seasons, winter and summer in the Negev and Tengger deserts, respectively.     

干旱与重吸水对人工藻结皮光合特性的影响

通过接种蓝藻构建人工藻结皮促进荒漠地区生物结皮的生长发育以及整个荒漠生态系统的恢复,被认为是一种行之有效的荒漠化控制方法。在构建藻结皮过程中,接种的蓝藻以及形成的藻结皮,经常遭受干旱等环境条件的胁迫。本研究通过室内人工构建藻结皮,对形成的藻结皮进行干旱及重吸水处理,在此过程中监测结皮光合生物量、多糖含量以及结皮光合特性的变化规律。结果发现,干旱处理1d后,结皮蓝藻胞外多糖的分泌明显增加(p0.05);当结皮完全进入干燥状态后,结皮蓝藻停止所有代谢活动,结皮生物量及胞外多糖含量保持在一个相对稳定的水平。在结皮重吸水后,结皮初始荧光Fo能够迅速恢复,并在10 min内达到最大;之后Fo逐渐下降,同时结皮光合活性(Fv/Fm)按照函数y=ax/(b+x)逐渐上升并达到稳定。此外,在不同水分条件下,结皮光合活性随着水分的增加逐渐增加;然而结皮净光合速率(Pn)却随着水分的增加先增加后又下降,呈现单峰变化模式。该研究表明结皮蓝藻的代谢调节在人工藻结皮适应荒漠干旱环境中具有重要的作用,这对于进一步理解蓝藻乃至蓝藻结皮对干旱胁迫的适应,以及荒漠化防治中人工藻结皮的构建、维护、管理具有重要的理论与实践意义。     

Relationships between the biomass of algal crusts in fields and their compressive strength

In the desert areas of China investigated by the authors, various biological crusts were predominately associated with three blue-green algal (cyanobacterial) species, Microcoleus vaginatus Gom., Phormidium tenue (Menegh.) Gom. and Scytonema javanicum (Kütz.) Born et Flah. Their biomass and their compressive strength were measured simultaneously in the field in this study. It was also found that the compressive strength of algal crusts was enhanced with the increasing of algal biomass from an undetectable level to a value as high as 9.6 mg g⁻¹ dry soil. However, when the algal biomass decreased, the compressive strength did not descend immediately, but remained relatively steady. The higher the algal biomass became, the thicker were the algal crusts formed. Given the same biomass, the highest compressive strength of man-made algal crusts in fields was found at an algal ratio of 62.5% M. vaginatus, 31.25% P. tenue and 6.25% S. javanicum, and it reached 0.89 kg cm⁻². When the biomass of the crusts increased above the value of 8.16 mg chla g⁻¹ dry soil, the compressive strength would not ascend easily. It indicated that the compressive strength of man-made algal crusts appeared temporarily saturated in the field.     

干旱人工植被区藻结皮光合固碳的时间效应研究

研究了腾格里沙漠东南缘沙坡头地区不同建植年限(16、21、27、44和52a)人工植被区中发育藻结皮的净光合速率、年固碳量和累计固碳量变化特征,并分析了其与结皮生物学参数(盖度和生物量)和土壤表层0~3 cm有机碳含量的相关关系。结果表明:1)随着人工植被区建植年限的增加,藻结皮的最大净光合速率显著增加,从植被建植16a藻结皮的1.63μmol m-2s-1增加至植被建植52a的2.81μmol m-2s-1;藻结皮的最大光合速率与结皮生物量和结皮盖度呈显著正相关关系;2)藻结皮的年固碳量随植被区建植年限的延长呈指数增加,随着人工植被区建植年限的增加,藻结皮的年固碳量显著增加,从建植16a藻结皮的C 0.2 g m-2a-1增加到52a的C 2.78 g m-2a-1;3)植被区建植后,藻结皮的固碳总量经历两个阶段的变化,建植16a到27a,藻结皮固碳总量在C 2.2~6.2 g m-2,建植44a后,固碳总量增加到C 23.9 g m-2;并且,藻结皮的固碳总量与土壤表层有机碳含量呈显著线性正相关关系。以上研究结果说明,随着人工植被固沙区的演替,藻结皮发育成熟度逐渐提高,其光合固碳能力显著提高,有利于干旱区土壤有机碳的累计。     

人工藻结皮对河套平原盐碱土理化性质和酶活性的影响

土壤藻结皮主要由土壤中的藻类和土壤颗粒胶结而形成,具备水土保持、土壤改良、防风固沙等优良的生态功能。为了研究土壤藻结皮对盐碱土的改良效果,在河套平原盐碱地野外试验区分别接种了C. miniata HJ-01,C. miniata HJ-01和S. javanicum,C. miniata HJ-01和土著丝状混合藻,培植人工土壤藻结皮。结果表明:人工藻结皮发育45 d后,0—10 cm深度土壤中水分损失减弱,土壤pH值轻微下降,电导率降低57%(p<0.05),有效氮和有效磷增加(p<0.05); 0—5 cm深度土壤中脲酶、蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶和碱性磷酸酶活性分别增加52.1%,20.7%,16.7%,41.7%(p<0.05)。因此,人工土壤藻结皮能有效改良盐碱地。     

毛乌素沙地生物土壤结皮与沙化土地的关系研究

生物土壤结皮在荒漠地区广泛分布,是固沙和促进沙地生态恢复的重要生物因子。利用1989,2002和2006年的Landsat遥感影像,分别通过生物土壤结皮指数和NDVI阈值法,提取了毛乌素沙地生物土壤结皮和沙化土地的空间分布,并分析了二者之间联系。结果表明:(1)研究区1989,2002和2006年结皮面积所占比例分别为54.77%,55.72%和64.29%,表现为持续增加趋势,结皮斑块间连接度在增强,结皮的稳定性进一步巩固。(2)1989—2006年区内沙化土地的程度逐渐减弱,沙化程度综合指数由1989年的3.24下降到2006年的2.65。(3)1989—2006年,中度和重度沙化土地结皮分布范围最为广泛,均在70%以上;极重度沙化土地内的结皮面积表现为持续下降,1989,2002和2006年分别为19.40%,5.76%和2.80%。(4)以1989年沙化土地的格局为基础,1989,2002和2006年极重度沙化土地内生物结皮的数量比例分别为19.40%,33.18%和45.21%,处于上升趋势。     

The Influence of Edaphic and Orographic Factors on Algal Diversity in Biological Soil Crusts on Bare Spots in the Polar and Subpolar Urals

The influence of edaphic and orographic factors on the formation of algal diversity in biological soil crusts was studied in mountain tundras of the Polar and Subpolar Urals. Bare spots developed in the soils on different parent materials and overgrown to different extents were investigated. Overall, 221 algal species from six divisions were identified. Among them, eighty-eight taxa were new for the region studied. The Stigonema minutum, S. ocellatum, Nostoc commune, Gloeocapsopsis magma, Scytonema hofmannii, Leptolyngbya foveolarum, Pseudococcomyxa simplex, Sporotetras polydermatica species and species of the Cylindrocystis, Elliptochloris, Fischerella, Leptosira, Leptolyngbya, Myrmecia, Mesotaenium, Phormidium, Schizothrix genera were permanent components of biological soil crusts. The basis of the algal cenoses in soil crusts was composed of cosmopolitan cyanoprokaryotes, multicellular green algae with thickened covers and abundant mucus. The share of nitrogen fixers was high. The physicochemical properties of primary soils forming under the crusts of spots are described. The more important factors affecting the species composition of algae in the crusts are the elevation gradient, temperature, soil moisture, and the contents of Ca, Mg, mobile phosphorus, and total nitrogen.     

Localization of bacteria in lichens from Alpine soil crusts by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Lichens are prominent components of many biological soil crusts. Owing to their persistence, lichen thalli create microhabitats for other microbes. Here, the structure of bacterial communities at the thallus–soil interface in lichen soil crusts was studied by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and 3D image reconstruction. Terricolous lichen thalli above the tree-line in open habitats of the Austrian Alps were sampled. We selected six lichen species associated with green algal photobionts: Arthrorhaphis citrinella, Baeomyces placophyllus, B. rufus, Icmadophila ericetorum, Psora decipiens and Trapeliopsis granulosa. Alphaproteobacteria and Acidobacteria are predominant in these soil crust lichens, where the latter are frequently present in the lower part of lichen thalli and in the hypothallosphere. In the inconspicuous thallus structures of Arthrorhaphis citrinella, Baeomyces rufus, Icmadophila ericetorum and Trapeliopsis granulosa we observed association of bacteria with algal cells in soil particles and on the outer surface of the mycobiont–photobiont aggregates. We found bacterial cells intermixed with photobiont cells in the lower part of the lichen thalli and as small colonies on the surface of the squamules of Baeomyces placophyllus and Psora decipiens. Moreover, technical issues of performing FISH and confocal microscopy with biological soil crusts are discussed.     

Effects of drought and salt stresses on man-made cyanobacterial crusts

As a primary successional stage of biological soil crusts (BSCs), cyanobacterial crusts form firstly in the arid and semiarid areas. At the same time, they suffer many stress conditions, such as drought, salt, etc. In this study, we constructed man-made cyanobacterial crusts with Microcoleus vaginatus Gom. and comparatively studied the effects of drought and salt stresses on the crusts. The results showed that crust growth and photosynthetic activity was significantly inhibited by the stress conditions (P < 0.05), and inhibitory effect increased with the increasing stress intensity and treated time. Compared with salt stress, drought completely stopped crust metabolic activity, so the crust biomass was conserved at a higher level, which meant that drought itself might provide the crusts some protection, especially when the crusts simultaneously suffered drought and salt stresses. That is very important for the survival of crusts in the high-salt areas. In addition, to some extent the crusts could adapt to the stress conditions through metabolic adjustment. In our experiment, we found the accumulation of exopolysaccharides (EPS) increased under stress conditions within a certain threshold.     

CARBON FIXATION OF CYANOBACTERIAL–ALGAL CRUSTS AFTER DESERT FIXATION AND ITS IMPLICATION TO SOIL ORGANIC CARBON ACCUMULATION IN DESERT

Enhanced carbon fixation in soil crusts may facilitate the restoration of damaged ecosystems, but this requires greater knowledge of carbon fixation patterns and mechanisms. We measured the net photosynthetic rate (P_n) and estimated annual carbon fixation (ACF) in cyanobacterial–algal crusts after desert fixation in the Tengger Desert, northwestern China. The accumulated carbon fixation since the establishment of a restoration site was also calculated. In addition, stepwise regression analysis was used to study the relation between P_n and ACF and the physicochemical properties of crusts. Results showed that P_n was significantly higher at a more established 51‐year‐old restoration site (1·57 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹) than at a younger 15‐year‐old site (0·92 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹). The ACF also increased significantly with restoration time, but in two temporal phases, a slower ACF phase between 15 and 26 years of restoration (0·28–0·7 gC m⁻² y⁻¹) and a high ACF phase after 43–51 years of restoration (3·3 gC m⁻² y⁻¹). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that P_n was significantly correlated with chlorophyll a and crust cover, whereas ACF was only correlated with crust cover. Accumulated carbon fixation increased from 2·9 gC m⁻² after 15 years to 35·4 gC m⁻² at 51 years following establishment of the restoration site. The accumulated carbon fixation was positively correlated with soil organic carbon content. This study demonstrated that carbon fixation by cyanobacterial–algal crusts increased progressively after desert fixation. Artificial measures, like the establishment of these restoration zones, can facilitate the colonization and development of biological soil crusts and are an effective biological tool for desert soil restoration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbohydrates in cyanobacterial soil crusts as a source of carbon in the southwest Kalahari, Botswana

Semiarid ecosystems, also known as drylands, contain small amounts of carbon (C). To date only few studies have evaluated soil C dynamics in these ecosystems. Cyanobacterial soil crusts are considered a major source of organic C in semiarid ecosystems through photosynthesis, increasing soil organic C (SOC) pool as carbohydrates. This study considers cyanobacterial soil crusts as a source of C in the southwest Kalahari. Cyanobacterial soil crusts are well adapted to drylands because extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) secretions provide stabilization of soil and resistance to desiccation. The carbohydrate and chlorophyll a content were evaluated in the upper soil profile on Kalahari Sands and pan soils. Topsoil carbohydrate concentration decreased exponentially with depth. The carbohydrate content produced in cyanobacterial soil crusts in the southwest Kalahari represents up to 75% of the total SOC and is thus an essential component for the fertility of Kalahari Sand soils.     

不同生境对人工结皮发育及表土氮、磷含量及其代谢酶活性的影响

土壤生物结皮对于改善荒漠地区的生态环境和土壤的增肥改良具有重要作用.本研究以库布齐沙漠固定沙丘(迎风坡、坡顶、背风坡和丘间地)披碱草和沙蒿群落下长期发育(8年生)的人工藻结皮为研究对象,测定不同生境下人工结皮对表层土壤氮、磷元素含量以及相关土壤酶活性的影响.结果表明,在不同立地条件下,沙丘顶部结皮叶绿素a和土壤可溶磷含量最高,分别为4.24 mg/g和2.926 mg/kg.丘间地结皮层土壤碱性磷酸酶活性、总磷含量及脲酶活性为最高,迎风坡结皮生物量和土壤碱解氮、速效磷含量以及土壤酶活性明显高于背风坡结皮层土壤.在相同立地条件下,披碱草下结皮生物量、碱解氮、速效磷含量和脲酶及碱性磷酸酶活性显著高于沙蒿下的结皮土壤.本研究表明生境的差异性导致人工结皮发育程度不同,进而对表土氮、磷含量及其代谢酶产生不同影响,人工生物结皮的发育程度与表土氮磷素含量及其代谢酶活性之间存在显著相关性.不同植被群落对生物结皮发育具有不同的作用,披碱草对人工生物结皮影响的正效应高于沙蒿.     

黄土丘陵区垂直陡壁表面不同类型生物土壤结皮养分与微生物养分限制特征

生物土壤结皮的发育类型对土壤养分和微生物代谢起着重要作用。为进一步明确在生物结皮发育过程中微生物的限制性养分与影响因素,研究选择黄土丘陵区垂直陡壁表面上的裸土(CK)、浅色藻结皮(LA)、深色藻结皮(DA)、藻藓混合结皮(AM)和藓结皮(M)为研究对象,分析了不同生物土壤结皮类型下碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)养分状况与胞外酶活性,并通过胞外酶化学计量来量化微生物的代谢限制。结果表明:LA,DA,AM和M这4种类型生物土壤结皮C,N,P养分含量和微生物生物量C,N,P均显著高于CK(p<0.05),并且SOC,TN,TP和微生物生物量C,N,P随CK,LA,DA,AM和M的顺序逐渐增大,藓结皮微生物量C,N,P分别是CK处理的18.3,27.6,14.1倍。生物土壤结皮的发育显著提高了C,N,P循环酶的活性,冗余分析结果表明土壤养分与酶活性密切相关。此外,通过酶计量的矢量模型结果来看,生物土壤结皮的发育造成微生物相对碳限制的增大与相对磷限制的减小,并受到速效养分含量的影响。偏最小二乘路径模型结果也表明生物土壤结皮的类型会间接影响微生物的代谢限制。总的来说,生物土壤结皮类型的变化会改善土壤养分状况与微生物量等性质,养分资源的供应状况会造成微生物养分代谢的变化。     

Evolution of soil respiration depends on biological soil crusts across a 50-year chronosequence of desert revegetation

Despite intensive study in recent decades, soil respiration rate (Rs) and its evolution accompanying vegetation succession remain perplexing. Using a 50-year chronosequence of sand-fixing revegetation in the Tengger Desert of China, we took intact soil columns of 20 cm in depth, incubated them at 12 levels of soil water content (0–0.4 m³ m^?3) and at nine temperatures (5–45°C) in a growth chamber, and measured Rs. The results showed that Rs increased rapidly 15 to 20 years following revegetation but stabilized after 25 years. Rs for soils covered with moss crusts were markedly higher than those covered with algal crusts. Further, Rs correlated significantly with sand content (negatively) and fine particle contents (positively), and increased exponentially with increased soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) contents. Soil texture had a stronger influence on Rs than did SOM and TN. Also, Rs increased linearly with increased coverage and depth of biological soil crusts, which had a more pronounced influence on Rs than did soil physicochemical properties. Our results suggest that the capacity of carbon sequestration likely increases during the 50-year period after revegetation because the linear increase in SOM outweighs the limited sigmoidal increase in Rs.     

Use of cyanobacterial polysaccharides to promote shrub performances in desert soils: a potential approach for the restoration of desertified areas

The importance of cyanobacterial polysaccharides of biological soil crusts in sand surface stabilization and soil nutrient retention has been long acknowledged. However, the role of cyanobacterial polysaccharides as a source of nutrition to vascular plants in crusted areas is ignored. In this study, the chemical composition of the polysaccharide synthesized by Phormidium tenue and the effects of its presence on seed germination and seedling metabolism of the shrub Caragana korshinskii were investigated. The crude polysaccharide synthesized by P. tenue was composed of 15 % protein and 58 % carbohydrate and showed the presence of 12 different types of monosaccharides. The addition of the polysaccharide significantly (P?<?0.05) increased seed germination and metabolic activity of the seedling of the shrub C. korshinskii. The optimal concentration for vigor index, root length, root vigor, and total N and P contents was 10 mg/L polysaccharide; for the germination rate, nitrate reductase activity, carbohydrate content, chlorophyll, and Mg²⁺ content, the optimal was 60 mg/L polysaccharide, while for K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contents, photosynthetic efficiency and superoxide dismutase activity was 120 mg/L. The presence of the polysaccharide increased seed germination rate, ion uptake, and photosynthetic activity by affecting the electron transport chain and decreased oxidative damage by eliminating reactive oxygen species in C. korshinskii, thus promoting shrub performance in crusted desert areas.     

Deposition of sand over a cyanobacterial soil crust increases nitrogen bioavailability in a semi-arid woodland

The movement of sand by erosion is a common feature of drylands during droughts and periods of sparse vascular plant cover. We examined the effects of sand deposition on the bioavailability of N in cyanobacterial-dominant soil crusts during and after a severe drought. Crusts were sampled from two depths on stony and stone-free surfaces with and without sandy deposits. All sites supported an extensive cover (up to 51%) of N-fixing cyanobacteria and cyanolichens. During drought, sand-covered crusts had up to three-times more mineral N (NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻) and twice the mineralisable N, at both depths, than sand-free samples. Mineralisable N was always greater in the surface soil layer both during and after drought. During the drought, two common N-fixing cyanobacteria (Scytonema cf. hofman-bangii, Stigonema ocellatum) were significantly more abundant on uncovered than sand-covered surfaces. Increased N bioavailability likely results from autolysis and subsequent breakdown of N-enriched cyanobacterial cell material mediated by changes in the soil surface microenvironment. Our work suggests that landscape-level processes of sand deposition have a marked effect on soil nutrient pools by enhancing the accumulation of plant-available N on cyanobacterial crusted surfaces. Inappropriate land management or the loss of cyanobacterial soil crusts during drought would compromise the long-term bioavailability of soil N.     

Soil Algal Colonization and Its Ecological Role in an Environment Polluted by Past Zn�CPb Mining and Smelting Activity

The research was carried out around dumps made at the beginning of twentieth century linked to Zn?CPb ore mining of deposits of Mississippi Valley type in Southern Poland. Soil algae communities were investigated near spoil dumps rich in Zn, Pb, Fe, Cd, and Tl. In algal crusts, Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta occur in filament forms such as Stichococcus bacillaris, Stichococcus chlorelloides, S. cf. fragilis, and Cylindrocapsa sp. The algal crusts form aggregates containing metal-bearing minerals and algal organic material. The development of the crusts occur on sandy-clayey soils poor in water and highly enriched in heavy metals (up to 68,800 mg kg^?1 for Zn, 85,060 mg kg^?1 for Pb, 369 mg kg^?1 for Cd and 355 mg kg^?1 for Tl). Algal-crust formation is an important initial stage which facilitates vascular plant succession and topsoil formation. The results of investigation of algal material with ESEM are presented and the mineral phases in the top soil layer based on the XRD and EDS are described. The results indicate the presence of secondary labile minerals of lead, e.g., anglesite and plumbojarosite and minerals of Zn, e.g., smithsonite and minrecordite.     

库布齐沙漠不同发育类型人工结皮对露水凝结作用的比较研究

露水的形成是干旱、半干旱地区生态系统中重要的环境因子.以库布齐沙漠不同发育类型的人工结皮为研究对象,通过每天野外跟踪观测人工结皮的露水凝结量,比较人工结皮露水凝结量的大小及其凝结能力的差异性.试验以人工蓝藻结皮(ACC)、人工藻结皮(AAC)、人工苔藓结皮(AMC)以及自然苔藓结皮(NMC)和流沙(SS)为材料,并以绒布-平板露水测定法(CPM)为参照,试验时间为42 d.结果表明,CPM法测定的日平均露水凝结量为0.02～0.35 mm,ACC露水凝结量为0.012～0.191 min,AAC为0.032～0.230 mm,AMC为0.048~0.274 mm,NMC为0.056～0.304 mm,SS为0.003～0.083 mm.露水凝结量随结皮的发育状况而存在显著差异,露水凝结量大小依次为NMC>AMC>AAC>ACC>SS.结果还发现.人工结皮的形成明显促进了荒漠地表对露水的吸收和保持,结皮能够比沙表面凝结更多的露水,且结皮的露水千化过程比沙表面更慢.推测结皮藻丝体的发育及其胞外分泌物是结皮凝结较多露水的重要原因,同时依赖于结皮表面的微气候环境.本研究揭示了露水在维系结皮生存中的生态学意义,表明人工结皮具有较好的水土保持功能,同时有利于更好地理解生物结皮对露水的凝结机制与吸收利用情况,并为荒漠化地区有限水源条件下人工结皮利用露水等非降雨型水分进行野外生存提供重要的理论支持和试验依据.     

Soil crust microfungi along a southward rainfall gradient in desert ecosystems

We examined mycobiota structure, diversity level, and density of microfungal isolates in the biological soil crusts (BSC) and non-crusted soil of the northern and central Negev desert in 10 locations along a southward rainfall gradient. A total of 87 species from 49 genera were isolated. The mycobiota of BSC (80 species) was characterized by dominance of melanin-containing fungi, the remarkable contribution of sexual ascomycete species, and low abundance of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus. Species richness and the contribution of dark-colored fungi with large, multicellular spores negatively and significantly correlated with rainfall. The comparison with mycobiota of the non-crusted soil showed that in BSC communities, the xeric “desert” component (melanics) was significantly more pronounced, and the mesic “forest” component (Penicillium) was much less represented. In addition, the weak influence of rainfall on spatial variations of most observed mycobiotic characteristics indicated that microenvironmental factors (soil moisture, temperature, organic matter content) influenced the development of studied communities more essentially than macroenvironmental (climatic) factors.     

Effects of biological soil crusts on soil nematode communities following dune stabilization in the Tengger Desert,Northern China

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) play an important role in the dune fixation and maintaining soil biota in arid desert systems. Free-living soil nematode communities could be used as significant bioindicators to reflect soil recover regime after sand burial. However, the relationship between BSCs and nematodes is rarely known. To examine the effects of BSCs on soil nematodes, 72 soil samples under cyanobacteria–lichen and moss crusts were collected to analyse nematode communities in the different aged vegetated areas at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. Our results showed the colonization and development of BSCs significantly enhanced nematode diversity. Nematode abundances, generic richness, H′, MI, EI and SI were greater under crusts than those under noncrust. In particular, nematode abundances, generic richness, H′, MI, EI and SI were positively correlated with crust ages. The differences in nematode communities were also dependent upon crust types. Nematode abundances and generic richness under moss crusts were higher than those under cyanobacteria–lichen crusts. This can be contributed to the present and succession of BSCs that increased thickness of topsoil after dunes have been stabilized, namely, creating suitable habitats and providing an essential food source for nematodes.