干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Nostoc flagelliforme cells obtained from liquid culture were cultivated in sand and desert soil to investigate the ecological effects of N. flagelliforme in desert area. The result showed that the N. flagelliforme cells exhibited adaptability to draught similar to the wild N. flagelliforme trichome. The growth rate of N. flagelliforme cells on the sand is much faster than that of the trichome. Determinations of the water permeability and water retention showed that the N. flagelliforme cells can improve the soil quality. The result of soil surface crusting indicated that N. flagelliforme cells can adhere to the surface of the sand particles growing and forming the biological crust.