资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are known to serve crucial functions in many arid and semiarid habitats, but less is understood about biocrusts in temperate biomes, where they are often widespread and can play important roles in aboveground and belowground processes. Because the distinctive conditions that support biocrusts in temperate biomes – sandy, acidic, and/or nutrient‐poor soils or exposed bedrock – frequently also support rare plant and animal communities, such sites can have considerable conservation value. We detail the distribution of biocrusts in temperate habitats, including many in the northeastern US, where they have not previously been described. Besides adding another layer of biodiversity to the sites in which they occur, biocrusts may also play a critical role in site‐level ecology and functioning. As such, integrating temperate biocrust composition, distribution, and functions into ecosystem management may contribute to the stability and resilience of the ecosystems in which they are found in the face of global climate change and other disturbances.