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A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. DrylandsAuthor(s): Heather T. RootSource: The Bryologist, 116(2):224-225. 2013.Published By: The American Bryological and Lichenological Society, Inc.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1639/BRYOLOGIST-D-13-00038.1URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1639/BRYOLOGIST-D-13-00038.1

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Review

A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands

Reviewed byHEATHER T. ROOT

Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 321 Richardson Hall,Corvallis, Oregon 97331, U.S.A.

e-mail: ericarhiza@gmail.com

Rosentreter, R., M. Bowker & J. Belnap. 2007. A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S.

Drylands. 103 pp. U. S. Government Printing Office, Denver, CO. Price: free. Available from:http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/id/publications.Par.55953.File.dat/FieldGuide.pdf.

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This is a perfect field guide for casual forays in soil

crust country, and as a teaching tool for the

uninitiated. The printed book is pocket-sized and

printed on water-resistant paper with a spiral binding

and thick plastic cover; mine has withstood the

inevitable abuses of fieldwork quite well. It is not

currently in print, but used copies may be available and

the pdf can be found online.

The book begins with an introduction to soil crusts

describing their roles and community composition.

The discussion of ecological functions, habitats and

monitoring techniques of soil crusts is effective but

short; a technical reference with two of the same

authors (Belnap et al. 2001) provides a more in-depth

discussion of these topics. Photos of smooth, rugose,

pinnacled, and rolling overall crust morphology allow

the reader to visualize crusts from different regions and

set a nice context. The introduction includes photos of

crustose, continuous, areolate, gelatinous, squamulose,

foliose, and fruticose lichens, which are helpful for

those unfamiliar with lichens.

The body of the book is composed of three

sections, each with a key and page descriptions for

featured taxa, including 11 mosses, three liverworts

and 49 lichens. It seems these have been selected to

highlight differing morphologies and illustrate the

most common taxa. At the beginning of each section is

a structure diagram with labels, which is useful for

those unfamiliar with the terminology. Furthermore,

the glossary at the end of the book is inclusive and

simple. The keys to species are effective and avoid

unnecessary jargon. However, as soil crusts can be

quite diverse, not all taxa are included, and identifi-

cations should likely be verified using keys in more

complete floras such Nash et al. (2002, 2004, 2008) and

McCune & Rosentreter (2007).

Each featured taxon has a habit photograph

together with an inset showing more detail; these are

helpful for learning to see the subtleties and differences

among soil crusts. The descriptions are fairly short,

with simple language, and diagnostic features high-

lighted. Habitat descriptions are informative, and the

lichen section includes spot test chemical characteris-

tics. The comments are fun to read and provide insight

about the general look of species, their biology and

look-alikes. The range maps and elevation charts give a

broad sense of distributions.

This book is accessible to amateur botanists and is

an especially good starting place for those interested in

learning about biotic soil crusts. The photographs

allow the reader to develop an eye for these

inconspicuous organisms, and the habitat descriptions

suggest places to examine more closely which may have

been overlooked. I have enjoyed using it in the field

and often bring it with me when I travel through new

dryland habitats.

LITERATURE CITED

Belnap J., J. H. Kaltenecker, R. Rosentreter, J. Williams, S. Leonard &

D. Eldridge. 2001. Biological Soil Crusts: Ecology and Management.

USDI Bureau of Land Management National Science and

Technology Center Denver, CO, Technical Reference 1730-2

(http://www.blm.gov/nstc/library/pdf/CrustManual.pdf).

The Bryologist 116(2), pp. 224–225 Published online: July 5, 2013 0007-2745/13/$0.35/0Copyright E2013 by The American Bryological and Lichenological Society, Inc.

McCune B. & R. Rosentreter. 2007. Biotic soil crust lichens of the Columbia

River basin. Monographs in North American Lichenology 1: 1–105.

Northwest Lichenologists, Corvallis, OR.

Nash III, T. H., C. Gries & F. Bungartz (eds.). 2008. Lichen Flora of the

Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol. 3. Arizona State University,

Tempe, AZ.

Nash III, T. H., B. D. Ryan, P. Diederich, C. Gries & F. Bungartz (eds.).

2004. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol. II.

Lichens Unlimited, Tempe, AZ.

Nash III, T. H., B. D. Ryan, C. Gries & F. Bungartz (eds.). 2002. Lichen

Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol. I. Lichens Unlimited,

Tempe, AZ.

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