Biological soil crusts (BSCs) were sampled in runoff plots of sites A and B in 2013. This is the species list containing bryophytes.

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) were sampled in runoff plots of sites A and B in 2013. Samples were dried at 40 °C (Dörrex drying unit, Netstal, Switzerland). The identification of species was carried out by morphological characteristics using a stereomicroscope (Leitz TS, Wetzlar, Germany), a transmitted-light microscope (Leitz Laborlux S, Wetzlar, Germany) and ultraviolet light. Bryophytes (dominating taxa in 2013) were determined to the species level, wherever possible and separated into mosses (Bischler-Causse, 1989; Moos flora of China: Gao et al., 1999; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2005; 2007; 2008; 2011) and liverworts (Zhu, 2006; Söderström et al., 2016 and Alfons Schäfer-Verwimp, personal communication). Comparisons were conducted with specimen hosted in the herbarium of the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, Germany (Herbarium STU).

Sites A and B, locations of runoff plots