干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Microbiotic soil crusts occupy an invaluable position in arid and semiarid ecosystems. They are displaced by the conversion of native vegetation to annual grasslands. Moss inoculated to various treatments or disturbances could be an essential step in restoration of microbiotic crusts. Field experiments were conducted to determine if the fragmented tissue of three moss species would exhibit vegetative growth after inoculation to three soil surface treatments. Significant treatment differences were noted in litter and annual forb frequency. Moss growth frequency, although low, exhibited interesting patterns.