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\begin{document}

\title{Rapid Artificial Biocrust Development by Co-Inoculation of Clay and
Cyanobacteria}



\author[1]{Xia Ling}%
\author[1]{Zhou Keqiang}%
\author[2]{Zhang Zijia}%
\author[2]{Zhang Cui}%
\author[3]{Meng Delong}%
\author[1]{Wu Li}%
\author[1]{Song Shaoxian}%
\author[4]{Rosa María Torres Sáncheze}%
\author[5]{María E.Farías}%
\affil[1]{Wuhan Institute of Technology}%
\affil[2]{Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi}%
\affil[3]{Central South University School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering}%
\affil[4]{CONICET La Plata}%
\affil[5]{Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiologicas}%


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  \date{May 25, 2024}


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\begin{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 \emph{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 \emph{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.%
\end{abstract}%



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