Understanding how drylands respond to ongoing environmental change is extremely
important for global sustainability. In this review, we discuss how biotic attributes, climate …

Given the increasing speed and intensity of ongoing climate change and human
interventions, more systematic research is needed to realize the Sustainable Development …

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts), comprised of mosses, lichens, and cyanobacteria, are key
components to many dryland communities. Climate change and other anthropogenic …

With ongoing climate change, the probability of crossing environmental thresholds
promoting abrupt changes in ecosystem structure and functioning is higher than ever. In …

Warming is known to reduce soil carbon (C) stocks by promoting microbial respiration, which
is associated with the decomposition of microbial residue carbon (MRC). However, the …

Grazing is one of the most widespread forms of intensive management on Earth and is
linked to reductions in soil health. However, little is known about the relative influence of …

Concern about human modification of Earth's ecosystems has recently motivated ecologists
to address how global change drivers will impact the simultaneous provisioning of multiple …

Shrubs and herbs are two important types of vegetation that play a pivotal role in combating
land desertification in arid sandy land. Yet, the effects of plant litter on sandy soil microbial …

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widespread, diverse communities of cyanobacteria,
fungi, lichens, and mosses living on soil surfaces, primarily in drylands. Biocrusts can locally …

Cyanobacteria are a key biotic component as primary producers in biocrusts, topsoil
communities that have important roles in the functioning of drylands. Yet, major knowledge …