In order to understand the improving effects of cyanobacterial inoculation on water retention of topsoil in desert regions,this work focused on the development and succession of biological soil crusts and water holding characteristics of topsoil after cyanobacterial inoculation in Qubqi Desert. The results showed that after the artificial inoculation of desert cyanobacteria,algal crusts were quickly formed,and in some microenvironments direct succession of the algal crusts to moss crusts occurred after 2-3 ...