02546nas a2200241   4500008004100000022001400041245007500055210006900130260001200199490000700211520184500218653001302063653001102076653001202087653002402099653001902123653001702142100002102159700002402180700002402204700002202228856005402250       2024                        eng d  a2045-775800aHabitat suitability of biocrust communities in a cold desert ecosystem0 aHabitat suitability of biocrust communities in a cold desert eco  c07/20240 v143 a<p>Drylands are unique among terrestrial ecosystems in that they have a significant proportion of primary production facilitated by non-vascular plants such as colonial cyanobacteria, moss, and lichens, i.e., biocrusts, which occur on and in the surface soil. Biocrusts inhabit all continents, including Antarctica, an increasingly dynamic continent on the precipice of change. Here, we describe in-situ field surveying and sampling, remote sensing, and modeling approaches to assess the habitat suitability of biocrusts in the Lake Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, which is the main site of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research Program. Soils suitable for the development of biocrusts are typically wetter, less alkaline, and less saline compared to unvegetated soils. Using random forest models, we show that gravimetric water content, electrical conductivity, and snow frequency are the top predictors of biocrust presence and biomass. Areas most suitable for the growth of dense biocrusts are soils associated with seasonal snow patches. Using geospatial data to extrapolate our habitat suitability model to the whole basin predicts that biocrusts are present in 2.7 &times; 10<sup>5</sup>&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup> and contain 11&ndash;72 Mg of aboveground carbon, based on the 90% probability of occurrence. Our study illustrates the synergistic effect of combining field and remote sensing data for understanding the distribution and biomass of biocrusts, a foundational community in the carbon balance of this region. Extreme weather events and changing climate conditions in this region, especially those influencing snow accumulation and persistence, could have significant effects on the future distribution and abundance of biocrusts and therefore soil organic carbon storage in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.</p>10abiocrust10acarbon10adryland10ahabitat suitability10aremote sensing10asoil ecology1 aPower, Sarah, N.1 aThomas, Valerie, A.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aBarrett, John, E.  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20457758/14/7