Lichen and Moss Distribution and Biomass in Hot Desert Ecosystems
Nash TH, White SL, Marsh JE. 1977. Lichen and Moss Distribution and Biomass in Hot Desert Ecosystems. The Bryologist. 80(3):470-479
Lichen and moss abundance was documented at the US Desert Biome validation sites in the Chihuahuan, Sonoran and Mojave Deserts. Althogether 61 lichens and 18 mosses were sampled from all three sites. Species numbers ranged from 17 lichens at the Mojave site to 48 lichens at the Chihuahuan site and from 2 mosses at the Chihuahuan site to 15 mosses at the Sonoran site. Lichen cover ranged form a low of 0.01% on the bajada of the Mojave site to a high of 8.13% on the north slopes at the Chihuahuan site. Moss cover ranged from 0 on the Mohave and Chihuahuan bajada sites to 0.27% on the north slope of the Sonoran site. Lichen biomass is estimated to range from 0.888 g/m2 on the bajada of the Mojave site to 38.281 g/m2 on the north slope at the Chihuahuan site; mos biomass, from 0 at the Mohave site to 2.24 g/m2 on the Sonoran north slope. Variation in species composition among the sites is interpreted as being a function of different geological substrates and different elevations. Within each site lichens and mosses are strongly restricted to north slopes. This influence of aspect on cryptogam distribution was confirmed qualitatively at 42 additional sites within the three deserts.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Nash, Thomas; White, S; Marsh, J
- Units
- SODN
- Keywords
- Chihuahuan Desert, cryptogamic crust, Grazing, Lichen, Mohave Desert, Moss, Soil, Sonoran Desert