Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) cover approximately 12% of the global land surface and significantly reduce global atmospheric dust emissions. This study combines experimental data with a global climate model to quantify biocrusts' impact on dust cycling under current and future conditions. Results indicate biocrusts reduce global dust emissions by ~60%, preventing the release of ~0.7 Pg dust annually. Projected biocrust loss due to climate change and land-use intensification will increase dust burden, reducing the global radiation budget by 0.12 to 0.22 W m⁻², significantly impacting climate, ecosystems, and human health.
Publisher
Nature Geoscience
Published On
May 16, 2022
Authors
E. Rodriguez-Caballero, T. Stanelle, S. Egerer, Y. Cheng, H. Su, Y. Canton, J. Belnap, M. O. Andreae, I. Tegen, C. H. Reick, U. Pöschl, B. Weber
Tags
biocrusts
dust emissions
climate change
ecosystems
global warming
soil health
atmospheric science
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