Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter I
2. Preface V
3. Contents VII
4. Contributing authors XI
5. 1. An Introduction to Arid Soils and Their Biology 1
6. 2. Soils in Arid and Semiarid Environments: the Importance of Organic Carbon and Microbial Populations. Facing the Future 15
7. 3. Water Potential as a Master Variable for Atmosphere–Soil Trace Gas Exchange in Arid and Semiarid Ecosystems 31
8. 4. Microbiology of Antarctic Edaphic and Lithic Habitats 47
9. 5. Bryophyte and Lichen Diversity on Arid Soils: Determinants and Consequences 73
10. 6. Fungal Diversity, Community Structure and Their Functional Roles in Desert Soils 97
11. 7. Limits of Photosynthesis in Arid Environments 123
12. 8 The Response of Arid Soil Communities to Climate Change 139
13. 9. Artificial Soils as Tools for Microbial Ecology 159
14. Index 181