A first record of biological soil crusts in the Cape Floristic Region
Date
2012-07-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academy of Science of South Africa
Abstract
To date, the biological soil crusts (BSCs) of southern Africa are thought to be dominated
mainly by cyanobacteria, with the exception of the lichen fields of the Namib Desert. Because
soil microorganisms can physically modify, maintain or create habitat for other organisms –
including soil biota and plants – they have been considered ecosystem engineers. Therefore,
the presence of BSCs may be a good indicator of ecosystem resilience. Although BSCs are
found throughout the world, recent work has suggested that the absence of BSCs in the fynbos
of South Africa may be as a result of the inherent acidity of soils. We surveyed one area within
the fynbos biome for the presence of BSCs and determined the relative cover of vegetation
and different crust types. We found a widespread presence (up to 80% of surface soil) of BSC
communities in fynbos soils. We conclude that soil acidity may not be a constraining factor
in the development of BSCs in fynbos soils and that previous reports on the absence of BSCs
in fynbos soils may have been based on insufficient field observations. We encourage future
studies in this region in order to determine the currently unexplored spatial distribution of
soil microbial communities and the taxonomic composition of microorganisms in fynbos soils.
Description
CITATION: Mager, D. & Hui, C. 2012. A first record of biological soil crusts in the Cape Floristic Region. South African Journal of Science, 108(7/8):#1013, doi:10.4102/sajs.v108i7/8.1013.
The original publication is available at https://sajs.co.za
The original publication is available at https://sajs.co.za
Keywords
Biological soil crusts, Crust vegetation, Soil microorganisms, Fynbos -- Vegetative propagation -- South Africa -- Cape Floristic Region
Citation
Mager, D. & Hui, C. 2012. A first record of biological soil crusts in the Cape Floristic Region. South African Journal of Science, 108(7/8):#1013, doi:10.4102/sajs.v108i7/8.1013.