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Biological Soil Crusts of the Middle East

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Biological Soil Crusts: Structure, Function, and Management

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 150))

Abstract

Large parts of the Middle Eastern countries (Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) are arid and semiarid regions, and thus are characterized by limited higher plant cover. These areas are often densely covered by communities of cyanobacteria, green algae, fungi, lichens, and mosses which form typical biological soil crusts. The information available on these crusts for the Middle East is very sparse, except for Israel, where extensive research has been conducted. The study areas in Israel are the Central Negev, the Arava Valley and Judean Desert, and the northwestern Negev Desert (Fig. 8.1), which are discussed separately below. The political borders between the countries of the Middle East, now and in the past, do not coincide with any climatic, geological, vegetational or other natural partitioning. Nevertheless, the research and the information published are presented according to the countries and thus is also the format for this chapter.

Landscapes of south Israel

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Authors
  1. M. Galun
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  2. J. Garty
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 2290 S. Resource Blvd., Moab, Utah, 84532, USA

    Jayne Belnap

  2. Lehrstuhl für Botanik II, Universität Würzburg Julius-von-Sachs-Institut für Biowissenschaften, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 3, 97082, Würzburg, Germany

    Otto L. Lange

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Galun, M., Garty, J. (2001). Biological Soil Crusts of the Middle East. In: Belnap, J., Lange, O.L. (eds) Biological Soil Crusts: Structure, Function, and Management. Ecological Studies, vol 150. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56475-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56475-8_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43757-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-56475-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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