Pedosphere 36(5): 1089--1107, 2026
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2026 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Exploring biocrust microbial diversity in calanchi areas |
Gaetano GUIDA1 , Alessio NICOSIA1, Vincenzo PALMERI1,2, Elena FRANCIOSI3, Giancarlo MOSCHETTI1,2, Luca SETTANNI1, Vito FERRO1,2 |
1 Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 4, Palermo 90128 (Italy);
2 NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133 (Italy);
3 Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige 38098 (Italy) |
| Corresponding Author:Gaetano GUIDA |
| ABSTRACT |
| In arid and semiarid environments, biological soil crusts (BSCs) are pivotal components of soil communities, demonstrating resilience even in extreme conditions such as “calanchi”, where severe erosion processes occur. Calanchi is an Italian plural term used to describe a unique type of badlands. These badlands are highly dissected landforms with steep slopes, loose sediments, and rare or absent vegetation. This study investigated the impact of soil degradation, driven by erosion processes, on the BSC microbial community within a Sicilian calanchi area, Italy. Ten sampling sites, each with distinct hillslope positions, vegetation covers, elevations, and degradation levels, were selected. From each site, two soil samples were collected and subjected to plate count, 16S rRNA, and amplicon sequencing analyses to determine microbial counts, species composition, and taxa across varying degradation levels: no degradation (ND), light degradation (LD), and severe degradation (SD). The findings indicated that the SD conditions were associated with significantly lower microbial counts compared to the ND and LD conditions, which exhibited comparable microbial counts. In terms of species composition, the onset of erosion led to an increase in both bacterial and fungal biodiversity, as measured by observed operational taxonomic units (OTUs), due to the feedback effect of degradation stress. However, as erosion intensified and site degradation became severe, there was a marked reduction in observed OTUs, reflecting the inhospitable conditions for microorganism survival. Notably, the taxa detected at the LD sites possessed traits that enhance soil fertility and mitigate erosion processes. Conversely, SD caused by soil erosion resulted in a microbial community predominantly composed of pathogens. This study highlights the potential of using fungal and bacterial taxa as bioindicators for monitoring ecosystem health and resilience. |
| Key Words: amplicon sequencing,badland,biodiversity,bioindicator,biological soil crust,dissected landform,pathogen,soil biota,soil degradation,soil erosion |
| Citation: Guida G, Nicosia A, Palmeri V, Franciosi E, Moschetti G, Settanni L, Ferro V. 2026. Exploring biocrust microbial diversity in calanchi areas. Pedosphere. 36(5): 1089-1107. |
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