Estimating carbon storage of desert ecosystems in China

Figures & data

Figure 1. Sample map of the study area.

Figure 2. Regression model between MODIS-NDVI and aboveground biomass of vegetation.

Figure 3. Distribution of above-ground biomass of desert ecosystems in 2020.

Table 1. The carbon density of biological soil crusts in desert ecosystems all over the world.

Region	Crust distribution	Biocrust type	Density (g.m^−2)	References
Gurbantunggut Desert, China	Between dunes	Algae、Lichen、Moss	20.88	(Zhang et al. 2009)
	Between dunes	Algae、Lichen、Moss	63.74	(Zhang, Zhou, and Zhang 2015)
	–	Moss、Mixed crusts	57.56	(Su, Wu, and Zhang 2012)
	inter-dune	Algae、Lichen、Mixed crusts	51.61	(Zhang et al. 2016)
	–	Algae、Lichen、Moss	29.85	(Li, Wu, et al. 2021)
Tengger Desert, China	Artificial sand-fixation vegetation	Cyanobacterial–algal crusts	46.90	(Su, Li, et al. 2013)
	Inter-space of plant in Artificial sand-fixation vegetation	Algae、Lichen、Moss、Mixed crusts	181.58	(Du et al. 2018)
	Artificial sand-fixation vegetation	Crust	143.29	(Xie, Li, and Li 2021)
	Windward slope, leeward slope, inter-dune in Artificial sand-fixation vegetation	Crust	75.59	(Li et al. 2002)
Hobq Desert, China	inter-space of plants under enclosure and afforestation	Algae、Moss	74.97	(Niu et al. 2017)
Chinese Median			60.65
Chinese Mean			74.60
Tabernas Desert, Spain	inter-space of natural perennial and annual plants	Algae、Lichen、Moss	173.93	(Chamizo et al. 2012)
	inter-space of dune slope annual plants	Algae、Lichen	5.99	(Cantón et al. 2014)
	inter-space of natural perennial and annual plants	Algae、Lichen	18.20	(Miralles et al. 2012)
Natural Park, Spain	inter-space of natural perennial and calcaric outcrop and stones	Algae、Lichen	108.67	(Chamizo et al. 2012)
Israeli–Egyptian border	inter-dune	Crust	28.24	(Ram and Aaron 2007)
Negev Desert, Israel	inter-dune and mid-slope	Algae	22.31	(Drahorad et al. 2013)
Sonoran Desert, USA	–	Cyanobacteria-dominated BSCs	3.54	(Beraldi-campesi et al. 2009)
Colorado Plateau, USA	–	Cyanobacteria-dominated BSCs	3.02	(Beraldi-campesi et al. 2009)
Global Median			49.26
Global Mean			61.66

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Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author.