Disturbance to desert soil ecosystems contributes to dust-mediated impacts at regional scales
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
This review considers the regional scale of impacts arising from disturbance to desert soil ecosystems. Deserts occupy over one-third of the Earth’s terrestrial surface, and biological soil covers are critical to stabilization of desert soils. Disturbance to these can contribute to massive destabilization and mobilization of dust. This results in dust storms that are transported across inter-continental distances where they have profound negative impacts. Dust deposition at high altitudes causes radiative forcing of snowpack that leads directly to altered hydrological regimes and changes to freshwater biogeochemistry. In marine environments dust deposition impacts phytoplankton diazotrophy, and causes coral reef senescence. Increasingly dust is also recognized as a threat to human health.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Disturbance to desert soil ecosystems contributes to dust-mediated impacts at regional scales |
| Series title | Biodiversity and Conservation |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10531-014-0690-x |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Year Published | 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | 9 p. |
| First page | 1659 |
| Last page | 1667 |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |