The effects of heavy winter rains and rare summer rains on biological soil crusts in the Negev Desert

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

KIDRON, G.J.

Inst. of Earth Sciences, Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, Israel

BARINOVA, S.

Inst. of Evolution, Univ., Haifa, Israel

VONSHAK, A.

Dep. of Dryland Biotechnologies. The Jacob Blaustein Inst. for Desert Research, Ben Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Sede Boqer, Israel

Description :
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) abound in the Hallamish dune field in the western Negev Desert, Israel. The aim of this paper is to examine crust responses to winter and summer rains, focusing particularly on its biomass components, chlorophyll and carbohydrate. In addition, species composition, during summer and winter was examined. Analysis took place during an exceptionally wet winter (1994/95 with 172 mm) and a summer rainstorm (12.5.93 with 9.7 mm). It is shown that : chlorophyll and carbohydrates of the BSCs increase 2–3-fold following winter rains; much higher species composition was monitored at the BSC during the winter; summer rain substantially deceased the chlorophyll content of the crusts; summer rains may alter species composition and biomass of BSCs.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Catena (Giessen), issn : 0341-8162, 2012, vol. 95, p. 6-11, nombre de pages : 6, Références bibliographiques : 47 ref.

Date :
2012

Editeur :
Pays édition : Allemagne, Cremlingen-Destedt, Catena

Langue :
Anglais