Responses of soil microbial biomass and community composition to biological soil crusts in the revegetated areas of the Tengger Desert

► Biological soil crusts affected soil microbial biomass and community composition. ► Soil microbial biomass increased with crust age. ► Moss crusts had higher microbial biomass than cyanobacteria-lichen crusts. ► Soil crusts could promote soil recovery in the revegetated areas.