Moss dominated biological soil crust reduced runoff by increasing wetted perimeter of cross-section

Water scarcity severely limits vegetation growth and ecological restoration in drylands. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widely distributed surface coverings in these regions and play a crucial role in water cycling and redistribution. Although numerous studies examined the runoff effects of biocrusts, most conclusions were derived at the plot scale, making it difficult to fully understand the true impact of biocrusts on runoff processes. To address this, we collected biocrusts at five succession stages from the northern Loess Plateau of China and measured their hydrological functional traits. We also conducted simulated runoff experiments to explore the impact of these functional traits of biocrusts on runoff processes at the patch scale. Our results provided new insights into the role of biocrusts in water resource distribution in drylands.