Data from: Vascular plants promote moss crust restoration by softening the microenvironment near soil surface in dryland ecosystems

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are crucial for maintaining the
ecosystem health and stability in drylands. Although artificial
restoration has emerged as a viable strategy for biocrust rehabilitation,
the role of vascular plants, which is of great concern in this process,
has rarely been studied. This study analyzed the effects of plants
(Caragana korshinskii) with four phenotypic traits on the restoration of
artificial moss crusts in the Loess Plateau region of China. We monitored
the microenvironment under the canopy and measured moss plant density and
coverage in the northwest (NW) and southeast (SE) orientations during both
artificial cultivation and natural development periods. Our key findings
were as follows: (1) Plants significantly reduced wind speed, soil
temperature (ST), and soil water loss rate (SMLR) while extending the
suitable durations of optimal temperature and moisture conditions for moss
growth during daylight hours (p < 0.05). (2) Plant cover promoted
moss crust restoration under the canopy, and this degree was related to
the phenotypic traits and orientations of the plants. Four months after
inoculation, moss plant densities in the NW, SE, and control treatments
were 22.9, 14.9 and 7.6 plants·cm-2, and the corresponding coverage was
57.2%, 27.8%, and 15.0%, respectively. (3) The facilitative effects of
plants on moss crusts varied significantly across the different
restoration periods (p < 0.05). Compared to the artificial
cultivation period, plants showed more pronounced effects on moss
restoration during the natural development period, with plant density and
coverage increased by 0.4-1.7 times and 0.8-1.5 times, respectively. (4)
SMLR and ST were the primary determining factors for moss crust
restoration. This study provides novel insights into the relationship
between plants and biocrusts. The results highlight the importance of
plants for biocrust restoration and offer scientific support for
rehabilitation strategies in the shrub-grass communities of dryland
ecosystems.