Biocrust as one of multiple stable states in global drylands.

ABSTRACT: Biocrusts cover ~30% of global drylands with a prominent role in the biogeochemical cycles. Theoretically, biocrusts, vascular plants, and bare soil can represent multiple stable states in drylands. However, no empirical evidence for the existence of a biocrust stable state has been reported. Here, using a global drylands dataset, we found that biocrusts form an alternative stable state (biocrust cover, ~80%; vascular cover, ≤10%) besides bare soil (both biocrust and vascular cover, ≤10%) and vascular plants (vascular cover, >50%; biocrust cover, ~5%). The pattern of multiple stable states associated with biocrusts differs from the classic fold bifurcation, and values of the aridity index in the range of 0 to 0.6 define a bistable region where multiple stable states coexist. This study emp

SUBMITTER: Chen N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7518869 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature