Biological Soil Crusts

From the contents:
- The volume comprises 33 chapters and is divided into the following eight Parts:
- Part I: Taxonomic Composition, Ecology and Biogeography of Soil-Crust Communities
- Part II: Heterotrophic Components of Biological Soil Crusts
- Part III: Structure of Biological Soil Crusts: Microscale to Landscape
- Part IV: Biological Soil Crusts as an Ecosystem Component: Carbon and Nitrogen Acquisition and Interactions with Vascular Plants
- Part V: Soil Stability and Hydrology as Influenced by Soil Crusts
- Part VI: Disturbance to Biological Soil Crusts: Resistance, Resilience and Restoration
- Part VII: Monitoring and Management of Biological Soil Crusts
- Part VIII: Conclusions

From the reviews "This is a wide and comprehensive review of the subject that deserves a place in a research library." (Bulletin of the British Ecological Society) "Congratulations to the editors and contributors for presenting this clearly organized, and in general very fascinating book." (Phytocoenologia) "This volume was unusually well coordinated for an edited book with many diverse authors. Belnap and Lange clearly selected authors and topics carefully to provide as wide a coverage of topics as possible, and placed a heavy emphasis on integration and synthesis. ... Even at the high price, this is a good book to own." (Ecology) "Given current concerns over rangeland management in arid environments, this book is very topical and should be a valuable reference for resource managers and scientists alike. The publication of Biological Soil Crusts: Structure, Function, and Management marks an important milestone in the recognistion of these unique ecological communities." (The Bryologist) From the reviews of the softcover edition "The authors use amazing original pictures to show the structure, the extraordinary diversity and the natural beauty of the biological soils crusts. ... The bibliography is very rich and up-to-date ... The extensive taxonomic index with 1100 taxa and the subject index with 570 keywords provides quick access to various topics and problems. Written by leading experts, this book is a comprehensive presentation and the first global synthesis of the biology of soil crusts and their importance as an ecosystem component. Summing up, the volume can be recommended to a wide readership; it should be accessible to all research groups interested in botany, plant physiology, ecology or conservation biology. Considering the large number of good colour illustrations, the price of the book is not high at all." (Community Ecology).