Ecological Associations of Biological Surface Features on White Sands Missile Range.

White Sands Missile Range offers a unique opportunity to study the occurrence of cryptogamic crusts and other biological surface features that inhabit unusual landscapes which include lunettes, dune fields, and areas of active erosion and deposition.  Biological surface features can greatly enhance the consolidation of surface soil particles and most notably affect soil stability and its direct influence on air quality and water movement.  However, morphology of the biological surface feature and an ecological site description should be conducted before surface soil stability can be properly estimated.  At White Sands Missile Range, biological surface features inhabit a variety of substrates and occur within several vegetative communities across landforms distinctive to this region.  The primary objective of this study was to describe the ecological features associated with prominent types of biological surface features across the landscape of White Sands Missile Range.  Ecological descriptions included soils, vegetation, and landforms associated with the occurrence of each type of biological surface feature.  Physical characteristics of the biological surface features were also addressed, such as architectural topography and its influence on surface soil stability.