ITS

The study area is located in Pisha sandstone area of Nuanshui Town, in Zhungeer Banner Ordos City, Inner Mongolia. The dominant soil types are chestnut soil and aeolian sandy soil, with thin topsoil and loose soil structure. The soil and biocrust samples were collected in July 2022. The sampling points were selected from the Pinus tabuliformis plantations, and samples were taken by using a soil drill in a serpentine way (0-5 cm). Soil samples were taken from bare ground (CK), Cyanobacterial crust (PC), and moss crust (PM) in the Pisha sandstone area with three repeats. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to compare the effects of different biological soil crusts (cyanobacteria-dominated crusts and moss-dominated crusts) on soil physicochemical properties, microbial C, N, and enzyme activities in the Pisha sandstone areas in a Pinus tabuliformis plantations; (2) to investigate the effects of biological soil crusts on the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities in the Pisha sandstone areas in a Pinus tabuliformis plantations, (3) to explore the relationship between soil physicochemical properties, microbial C and N, enzyme activities and bacterial and fungal community composition.