Migration and structural implication of cyanobacteria in biological soil crusts in response to water and particle burial

inside BSCs were connected to the surface by tunnel-like structures made of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), through which the trichomes migrated to and from the surface in bundles. Despite the generally negative effects of EPSs on hydraulic conductivity, EPS tunnels have the potential to enhance water transfer to the trichomes. Extensive hydration and particle burial led to the spreading migration of individual trichomes, forming net-like structures inside the newly deposited layer. The results highlight the significance of the structural organization of EPSs within BSCs and the importance of cyanobacterial migration in BSC expansion.