TY - GEN A1 - Gypser, Stella A1 - Diez, Miriam A1 - Boelli, Daniel A1 - Wachendorf, Magnus A1 - Küppers, Manfred A1 - Veste, Maik T1 - Monitoring of biocrust development and physiological activity in disturbed ecosystems in Central Europe T2 - Biocrust 4 - 4th International Workshop on Biological Soil Crusts N2 - In many ecosystems of the earth, biocrusts influence the successive development of vegetation through their influence on the soil formation. This change in soil structure, e.g. due to the accumulation of organic material and the ability of biological nitrogen fixation, results in significant feedback and controls of ecosystem processes, especially in arid regions. In Brandenburg, located in NE Germany, the dry grasslands on sand dunes and the post-mining landscapes, characterized by edaphic drought and lack of nutrients as well as disturbances, are ecologically interesting locations for investigations of the biocrusts. In recent years, the species composition, structure, N-fixation, C-fluxes, and accumulation as well as their soil hydrological properties of biocrusts have been characterized and ecophysiological measurements of biocrust activity and CO2 exchange of different biocrust types under standardized environmental conditions have been performed in the laboratory. These ecophysiological measurements were correlated for the first time with NDVI measurements using a modified consumer camera, thus enabling a spatial analysis of the photosynthesis hotspots and a transfer from the lab into the landscape. The development and physiological activity of biocrusts are significantly influenced by microclimatic boundary conditions and moisture-dry cycles. The duration of these moisture phases is decisive for their spatial and temporal development and for the differentiation of the developmental stages. The permanent recording of moisture in the biocrusts in the uppermost millimeters using a newly developed biocrust wetness sensor in combination with NDVI measurements enable detailed information about biocrust activities and carbon fluxes. These continuous measurements of NDVI and physiological activity with PRI sensors allows determining seasonal activity phases in relation to microclimatological site conditions. More recent technological developments in sensor technology make it possible to carry out detailed and cost-effective investigations of the biocrust activity over the course of the year. KW - biological soil crusts KW - physiological activity KW - ecosystem development Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.11042.99523 VL - 2019 CY - North Stradbroke Island, Queensland , Australia ER -