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Rapid Artificial Biocrust Development by Co-Inoculation of Clay and Cyanobacteria
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  • Xia Ling,
  • Zhou Keqiang,
  • Zhang Zijia,
  • Zhang Cui,
  • Meng Delong,
  • Wu Li,
  • Song Shaoxian,
  • Rosa María Torres Sáncheze,
  • María E.Farías
Xia Ling
Wuhan Institute of Technology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Zhou Keqiang
Wuhan Institute of Technology
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Zhang Zijia
Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi
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Zhang Cui
Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi
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Meng Delong
Central South University School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering
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Wu Li
Wuhan Institute of Technology
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Song Shaoxian
Wuhan Institute of Technology
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Rosa María Torres Sáncheze
CONICET La Plata
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María E.Farías
Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiologicas
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Abstract

The establishment of biological soil crusts is widely perceived as a main method to control ecological environment in arid and semi-arid regions. However, artificial biocrusts are insufficient to face with some stress from environment by using traditional established methods. Hence in this study, kaolin, a common clay mineral, was introduced as a stabilizer by mixing with Microcoleus steenstruppi of different mass ratios for inoculating onto sand to establish artificial biocrust. The results showed that the addition of kaolin exhibited a significantly positive effect on promoting biocrust formation, and accelerating the biocrust development. Moreover, the artificial biocrust from 1:500 (algae:kaolin) inoculant achieved the best performances with coverage of 98%, and thickness of 5.62 mm after 86 days of incubation. The highest contents of chlorophyll a, exopolysaccharides, and soluble protein were also observed in 1:500 mass ratio of algae:kaolin throughout the biocrust development process. As for the water retention performances, the results of contact angle, water drop penetration time (WDPT), and repellency index (RI) illustrated that biocrusts improve water utilization in kaolin-treated groups by delaying the time of water infiltration, especially in 1:500 group. After 86 days post inoculation, a series of common bacteria appeared in the biocrusts such as actinobacteria and acidobacteria and decomposed metabolites from cyanobacteria as energy source to supply their own life activities. This study gains new insights on clay minerals on biocrust development and puts forward a new approach for rapid artificial biocrust establishment to reverse desertification.
23 Mar 2022Submitted to Land Degradation & Development
28 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
28 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
04 Apr 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
02 May 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
14 Aug 20221st Revision Received
14 Aug 2022Submission Checks Completed
14 Aug 2022Assigned to Editor
22 Dec 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
26 Dec 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
02 Jan 20232nd Revision Received
03 Jan 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Jan 2023Submission Checks Completed
03 Jan 2023Assigned to Editor
03 Jan 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Feb 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
21 Feb 20233rd Revision Received
22 Feb 2023Submission Checks Completed
22 Feb 2023Assigned to Editor
22 Feb 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Mar 2023Editorial Decision: Accept