Capacity of Desert Algal Crusts to Fix Atmospheric Nitrogen
- 1 September 1971
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Soil Science Society of America Journal
- Vol. 35 (5) , 843-844
- https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1971.03615995003500050055x
Abstract
Approximately 4% of the soil surface of an area of desert grassland in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona possessed algal‐crust formations. Samples of dry intact algal crusts were examined for nitrogen fixation by the acetylene‐ethylene method. Three hours after being moistened, algal crusts produced detectable levels of ethylene. Premoistened algal crusts were capable of producing ethylene equivalent to 0.7 µg of N/cm2 of algal crust per hour. On the basis of these findings, 1 ha of desert grassland may receive a nitrogen input of 3 to 4 g of N/hour (0.3 mg to 0.4 mg N/m2 per hr) following a rainfall.Funding Information
- National Science Foundation (GB‐15886)
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