Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce this Special Issue, titled “The Role of Non-vascular Vegetation for Ecosystem Functioning and Climate in different Regions of the World”. Bryophytes, lichens, terrestrial algae, and cyanobacteria share several physiological characteristics that distinguish them from vascular plants, such as their lack of active control over water loss and uptake. This is compensated for by their ability to survive dry periods while in an inactive state, which explains the worldwide distribution of non-vascular vegetation in extreme habitats such as rock surfaces. In contrast to their global abundance, however, only limited knowledge exists regarding the role of non-vascular vegetation for ecosystem functioning across the globe. Recent studies suggest that organisms may have a surprisingly large impact on biogeochemical processes and the climate in various ecosystems. They may contribute up to half of the nitrogen and carbon input of an ecosystem, particularly at high-latitudes, and they can intercept more than a third of rainfall in forest canopies, affecting the local climate. When in the form of biological soil crusts, they have been shown to reduce soil erosion. The impacts of non-vascular vegetation on soil surface properties such as albedo, thermal conductivity, or water storage may alter ecosystem processes ranging from the energy balance to succession trajectories. A main obstacle for a more quantitative assessment of these numerous potential effects of non-vascular vegetation is the relatively low number of studies, which results in uncertainty when up-scaling estimates. In addition to climatic variation, the dependence of ecosystem functioning on species composition of non-vascular communities adds to this uncertainty. With this Special Issue, we aim to highlight the potential key functional role of non-vascular vegetation and to promote research that increases our overall knowledge in this regard. We welcome original papers on all topics related to non-vascular vegetation and ecosystem functioning, including both empirical and modelling approaches.

Prof. Dr. Philipp Porada
Dr. David J. Weston
Prof. Dr. Leopoldo G. Sancho
Guest Editors

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• non-vascular vegetation
• bryophytes
• lichens
• biological soil crust
• epiphytes
• ecosytem functions
• biogeochemical cycles
• soil–vegetation–atmosphere exchange
• ecosystem succession
• ecosystem ecology
• ecophysiology