| Aspect | Atir Microhabitat | Organism | Aspect | Lehavim Microhabitat | Organism | Aspect | Za’ak Microhabitat | Organism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | Inter-route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. | North | Inter-route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +high cover moss | North | Inter-route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. Nostoc spp.+minor moss cover |
| Inter-route2 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | Inter-route2 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +high cover moss | Inter-route2 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. + Nostoc spp. | |||
| Inter-route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. | Inter-route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +high cover moss | Inter-route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. Nostoc spp. + minor moss cover | |||
| South | Inter-route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp.+ Scytonema spp. | South | Inter-route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. | South | Inter-route1 | Minor Scytonema spp. +minor moss cover |
| Inter-route2 | High cover of Microcoleus spp.+ Scytonema spp. | Inter-route2 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +minor moss cover | Inter-route2 | Minor Scytonema spp. + minor moss cover | |||
| Inter-route3 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | Inter-route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +minor moss | Inter-route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. + Scytonema spp. +Nostoc spp. +moss | |||
| North | Route1 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | North | Route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +minor moss cover | North | Route1 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover |
| Route2 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | Route2 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +minor moss cover | Route2 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | |||
| Route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp | Route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +minor moss cover | Route3 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | |||
| South | Route1 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | South | Route1 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. +minor moss cover | South | Route1 | Minor Microcoleus spp.+ Scytonema spp. |
| Route2 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | Route2 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | Route2 | Minor Scytonema spp. + minor moss cover | |||
| Route3 | Minor Microcoleus spp. cover | Route3 | High cover of Microcoleus spp. | Route3 | Minor Nostoc spp. cover |
Figure 3 Sampling scheme: (a) diagram of 1.0×1.0 m frame, divided into 0.2×0.2 m quadrates. Grey background represent a trampling route, whereas the white background represents the inter-route spaces. Red stars mark quadrates used for visual observations. Purple triangles mark quadrates used for crust and soil sampling; (b) characteristic dark (top) and light (bottom) crusts; (c) crust sampling.