ABSTRACT
Substantial evidence exists for the important roles that biological crusts have in soil formation, maintenance of soil fertility, and stabilization of soil against erosion by wind and water (see Chap. 8). Nevertheless, forced development of biological crusts for reclamation of disturbed semiarid lands and deserts has received scant attention. Natural establishment of mature plant cover in dry ecosystems is slow. Processes that initiate or hasten desertification or degradation of useful rangeland are numerous and cumulative, and without human intervention the rate of habitat destruction is greater than the rate of repair. Therefore, desert reclamation and efforts to invigorate abused rangelands are important goals toward which the accelerated establishment of biological crusts could make an important contribution.
