DFG Trilateral collaboration Deutschland-Israel-Palestine: "Biotic and abiotic factor affecting biological soil crust formation and recovery in a semiarid dune ecosystem : Gaza and NW Negev"

巴勒斯坦加沙地带和以色列西部内盖夫干旱/半干旱沙丘地区的沙质土壤广泛覆盖着生物土壤结皮(BSC)，它稳定了地表，防止了荒漠化。以色列的政治讨论建议在最终的和平协议中将这片沙带的很大一部分转移到加沙地带。不适当的土地使用可能会导致BSC的破坏，并引发荒漠化，加沙地带的部分地区已经发生了这种情况。在这个跨学科的项目中，将调查环境因素对BSC活力、稳定性和恢复潜力的影响，以评估与降雨、土壤和地形条件相关的这一脆弱景观的承载能力。选定了一条横断面，从巴勒斯坦加沙地带的地中海海岸(降雨量370毫米)一直延伸到以色列向南65公里(尼扎纳，100毫米降雨量)。分子生物学、生理、物理和土壤化学过程的相互作用将从分子到景观尺度进行评估，这些过程表现在BSC和下垫面土壤的特定特征上。

Sandy soils of the arid/semiarid dune fields of the Palestinian Gaza Strip and the Israeli western Negev are extensively covered by biological soil crusts (BSC), which stabilize the surface and prevent desertification. Political discussions in Israel suggest transferring a large part of this sand belt to the Gaza Strip within a final peace accord. Inappropriate land uses may lead to destruction of the BSC and initiate desertification, as already occurring in parts of the Gaza Strip. In this interdisciplinary project the influence of environmental factors on the vitality, stability and the recovery potential of the BSC will be investigated in order to evaluate the carrying capacity of this fragile landscape, in relation to rainfall, soil and relief conditions. A transect stretching from the Mediterranean coast in the Palestinian Gaza Strip (370 mm rainfall) to 65 km southwards in Israel ( Nizzana , < 100 mm rainfall) has been selected. The interactions of molecular biological, physiological, physical and soil chemical processes, expressed in specific characteristics of the BSC and the underlying soil, will be assessed from the molecular to the landscape scale.