Abstracted/indexed

Biocrusts are associations among drought-tolerant organisms and are crucial for maintaining the steady state of ecosystems subjected to high environmental stresses. The elaboration of sustainable plans for their preservation, restoration, and spreading is a recent strategy to combat land degradation and desertification. This review highlights the most relevant achievements and the critical points still open for the biotechnological application of cyanobacteria and mosses to soil restoration.

Cerrado savannas in Brazil are under increasing pressure. Long-term vegetation dynamics (1987–2019) of a Cerrado area showed marked woody plant encroachment (WPE) processes, possibly linked to fire and grazing suppression. Open shrubby grasslands and wetlands shrunk, while forest and denser woodlands increased, concurrently with vegetation indexes (NDVI). Decreasing open cerrado and wetlands may imply biodiversity and water supply losses. WPE should be considered for Cerrado conservation.

Research on the effect of close-to-nature management (CTNM) on the univariate and bivariate distribution of the spatial structure of forest stands provides a scientific basis for the evaluation of CTNM implemented in forestry and further promotes the success of forest management.