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This study investigated the photosynthetic rate of the lichen Endocarpon pusillum at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Shapotou Desert Research Station and estimated its annual contribution to the carbon budget in the ecosystem. The software SigmaPlot 10.0 with "Macro-Area below curves" was used to calculate the carbon fixation capacity of the lichen. The total carbon budget (ΣC) of the lichen was obtained by subtracting the respiratory carbon loss (ΣDR) from the photosynthetic carbon gain (ΣNP). Because water from precipitation plays an important role in photosynthesis in this ecosystem, the annual carbon budget of E. pusillum at the station was estimated based on the three-year average precipitation data from 2009 to 2011. Our results indicate that the lichen fixes 14.6 g C m(-2) annually. The results suggest that artificial inoculation of the crust lichen in the Tengger Desert could not only help reduce the sand and dust storms but also offer a significant carbon sink, fixing a total of 438000 t of carbon over the 30000 km(2) of the Tengger Desert. The carbon sink could potentially help mitigate the atmospheric greenhouse effect. Our study suggests that the carpet-like lichen E. pusillum is an excellent candidate for "Bio-carpet Engineering" of arid and semi-arid regions.

Estimation of Endocarpon pusillum Hedwig carbon budget in the Tengger Desert based on its photosynthetic rate