Interest in understanding the role of biocrusts as ecosystem engineers in drylands has
substantially increased during the past two decades. Mosses are a major component of …

Biological soil crusts (BSCs), composed of lichens, cyanobacteria, mosses, liverworts and
microorganisms, are key biotic components of arid and semi-arid ecosystems worldwide …

In arid and semiarid environments, isolated vegetative patches establish islands of fertility in
which facilitation is a dominant interaction between plant species. These patches may …

In arid and semi-arid areas with sparse vegetation cover, the spatial pattern of surface soil
properties affects water and nutrient flows, and is a question of considerable interest for …

Despite important advances in the understanding of biological soil crusts and their key role
in ecosystem processes in arid and semi-arid environments, little is known about those …

Alpha or esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima) is a perennial tussock grass that coexists with
Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) in semi-arid areas of southeast Spain and northern Africa …

In grassland communities vascular plants and bryophytes form two distinct layers. In order to
understand the factors responsible for plant community structure, more information about …

Los briófitos son considerados como un grupo de plantas crucial en la transición a tierra de
la vida fotosintética. A su relativa sencillez estructural se le unen caracteres únicos en la …

Questions Environmental factors have been identified as strong modulators of plant
community distribution and diversity, especially in arid and semi‐arid ecosystems. Despite …

The loss of biological soil crusts represents a challenge for the restoration of disturbed
environments, specifically in particular substrates hosting unique lichen communities …