Recovery rates of cryptobiotic crusts: inoculant use and assessment methods

ABSTHACrr. -Reco\ rates of c-licheTi soil crusts from disturhante were examined. Plots were either uiulist urhed or scalped, and scalped plots were either inoculated with surroundinsi; biological crust material or left to reco naturallv. Natural recoven' rates were found to be verislow. Inoculation significantK h;Lstened recoxen for the cvanobactcrial/green alga! component, lichen cover, lichen species richness, and moss co. E uith inoculation, however, lichen and moss rec-overv was minimal. Traditional techniques of assessing reccnen were found to underestimate time for tot;il reco\-. Other tecliniques, such as extraction of chlorophyll a from surface soil and measurement of sheath material accinnnlation. were used and are discussed.