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Abstract

Habitat and species richness in drylands are affected by the dynamics of a few key species, termed ‘‘ecosystem engineers.’’ These species modulate the landscape and redistribute the water resources so as to allow the introduction of other species. A mathematical model is developed for a pair of ecosystem e​ngineers commonly found in drylands: plants forming vegetation patterns and cyanobacteria forming soil crusts. The model highlights conditions for habitat creation and for high habitat richness, and suggests a novel mechanism for species loss events as a result of environmental changes.


Download article from the Physical Review Letters​​​