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  • Review Article
  • Published:

Microbial colonization and controls in dryland systems

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 10, pages 551–562 (2012)Cite this article

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An Erratum to this article was published on 16 July 2012

This article has been updated

Key Points

  • Drylands constitute the most extensive terrestrial biome, covering more than one-third of the Earth's continental surface. An increase in dryland areas as a result of desertification is one of the most pressing environmental concerns of the twenty-first century.

  • Microbial life in and on rocks and soils forms a near-contiguous surface veneer of cryptic biological cover and assumes the foremost role in ecosystem processes. The communities are dominated by specialized cyanobacteria, fungi, lichens and mosses.

  • Microbial communities mediate inputs and outputs of gases, nutrients and water from dryland surfaces. These inputs and outputs, in turn, exert feedbacks on nutrient and hydrological cycles.

  • The stability and weathering of soils and rocks is regulated by dryland microbial communities and may have been crucial in the evolution of the terrestrial biosphere.

  • Dust mobilization in drylands causes regional and global dryland-related environmental impacts, the magnitude of which is affected by the surface microbial communities. These impacts can be on hydrological regimens, oceanic productivity and public health.

  • We propose a new definition of the critical zone in drylands that highlights this thin surface veneer of microbial colonization and activity. It is this critical zone that requires increased attention in the management of dryland environments.

Abstract

Drylands constitute the most extensive terrestrial biome, covering more than one-third of the Earth's continental surface. In these environments, stress limits animal and plant life, so life forms that can survive desiccation and then resume growth following subsequent wetting assume the foremost role in ecosystem processes. In this Review, we describe how these organisms assemble in unique soil- and rock-surface communities to form a thin veneer of mostly microbial biomass across hot and cold deserts. These communities mediate inputs and outputs of gases, nutrients and water from desert surfaces, as well as regulating weathering, soil stability, and hydrological and nutrient cycles. The magnitude of regional and global desert-related environmental impacts is affected by these surface communities; here, we also discuss the challenges for incorporating the consideration of these communities and their effects into the management of dryland resources.

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Figure 1: The global distribution of drylands.
Figure 2: Microbial colonization in arid landscapes.
Figure 3: Microbial niches in arid landscapes.
Figure 4: Bioweathering of mineral rocks by microorganisms.
Figure 5: Biological soil crusts mediate the movement of materials and are responsible for energy entering and leaving the soil.

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Change history

  • 16 July 2012

    In the original article, the wrong image was mistakenly introduced for Fig. 2h. The correct image has now been included. We apologize to the authors and to readers for this error and for any confusion caused.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Stephen B. Pointing

  2. School of Applied Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand

    Stephen B. Pointing

  3. US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, 2290S Resource Boulevard, Moab, 84532, Utah, USA

    Jayne Belnap

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Educational material about soil crusts and their conservation

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Glossary

Poikilohydric

Pertaining to an organism: relying solely on the environment for water. These organisms have therefore evolved mechanisms to tolerate desiccation.

Soil- and rock-surface communities

Communities containing the microorganisms, lichens and mosses that colonize surface soil and rocks.

Water activity

The vapour pressure of a liquid divided by that for pure water at the same temperature; pure water has a water activity of 1. This is a measure of how biologically available the water molecules are in a solution.

Xeric stress

The challenge that is imposed on a cell, population, community or ecosystem by water limitation.

Biological soil crusts

Biological communities that inhabit soil surface layers to create a coherent structure.

Frost–heave

The movement of soil that is caused by freezing of subsurface moisture during freezing atmospheric conditions.

Hypoliths

Organisms that colonize the ventral surface (underside) of translucent stones and are usually in contact with the soil.

Epiliths

Organisms that colonize the exposed surface of rock or mineral substrates.

Biogenic mineral concentration

A localized increase in a mineral that is directly or indirectly due to biological activity.

Cryptoendoliths

Organisms that colonize the pore spaces of porous rocks or minerals.

Chasmoendoliths

Organisms that colonize existing cracks and fissures that have a connection to the surface in rock or mineral substrates.

Bioweathering

Microorganism-mediated physical or chemical dissolution of mineral substrates.

Endo-edaphic

Pertaining to organisms that colonize the cracks or pore spaces within rocks or that live within (rather than on top of) the soil.

Epi-edaphic

Pertaining to organisms that colonize the exposed surface of rock or soil.

Diazotrophy

The mechanism by which microorganisms fix atmospheric nitrogen into bio-available combined nitrogen.

Critical zone

The physical location at which the major biogeological factors that affect a particular environment interact with each other.

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Pointing, S., Belnap, J. Microbial colonization and controls in dryland systems. Nat Rev Microbiol 10, 551–562 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2831

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