Biological Soil Crusts from Coastal Dunes at the Baltic Sea: Cyanobacterial and Algal Biodiversity and Related Soil Properties.
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are known as "ecosystem-engineers" that have important, multifunctional ecological roles in primary production, in nutrient and hydrological cycles, and in stabilization of soils. These communities, however, are almost unstudied in coastal dunes of the temperate zone. Hence, for the first time, the biodiversity of cyanobacterial and algal dominated BSCs collected in five dunes from the southern Baltic Sea coast on the islands Rügen and Usedom (Germany) was investigated in connection with physicochemical soil parameters. The species composition of cyanobacteria and algae was identified with direct determination of crust subsamples, cultural methods, and diatom slides. To investigate the influence of soil properties on species composition, the texture, pH, electrical conductivity, carbonate content, total contents of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and the bioavailable phosphorus-fraction (PO4 (3-)) were analyzed in adjacent BSC-free surface soils at each study site. The data indicate that BSCs in coastal dunes of the southern Baltic Sea represent an ecologically important vegetation form with a surprisingly high site-specific diversity of 19 cyanobacteria, 51 non-diatom algae, and 55 diatoms. All dominant species of the genera Coleofasciculus, Lyngbya, Microcoleus, Nostoc, Hydrocoryne, Leptolyngbya, Klebsormidium, and Lobochlamys are typical aero-terrestrial cyanobacteria and algae, respectively. This first study of coastal sand dunes in the Baltic region provides compelling evidence that here the BSCs were dominated by cyanobacteria, algae, or a mixture of both. Among the physicochemical soil properties, the total phosphorus content of the BSC-free sand was the only factor that significantly influenced the cyanobacterial and algal community structure of BSCs in coastal dunes.
Institute of Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany. karoline.schulz@uni-rostock.de.
Karoline
K
Schulz
M.H. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Tereschenkivska St. 2, Kyiv, UA-01001, Ukraine.
Tatiana
T
Mikhailyuk
Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Botany and Botanical Garden, University of Rostock, Wismarsche Str. 8, 18051, Rostock, Germany.
Mirko
M
Dreßler
Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Soil Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18051, Rostock, Germany.
Peter
P
Leinweber
Institute of Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
Ulf
U
Karsten
D001454:Baltic States; D044822:Biodiversity; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017377:Diatoms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D012987:Soil
Biocrusts; Cryptogamic crusts; Cyanobacteria; Diatoms; Phosphorus; Sand dunes; Soil algae