For many desert-goers, “tiptoe through the crypto” is a familiar mantra. But some people headed to the canyon country for their first time may be unaware of the damage they could inflict on the ...

Under the dry, piercing heat of the Utah sun, Sasha Reed is growing plots of plants — and bacteria, lichen and fungi, too. But Reed is no farmer, and at first glance, her fields look to be mostly dirt ...

Under the dry, piercing heat of the Utah sun, Sasha Reed is growing plots of plants—and bacteria, lichen and fungi, too. But Reed is no farmer, and at first glance, her fields look to be mostly dirt.

Biocrust in Utah Nihonjoe via Wikipedia under CC By-SA 3.0 Under the dry, piercing heat of the Utah sun, Sasha Reed is growing plots of plants—and bacteria, lichen and fungi, too. But Reed is no ...

Biological soil crusts, known as biocrusts, are lichens, algae, mosses, fungi, and cyanobacteria common on the soil surface.[i]They are critical to arid ecosystems, where they help to reduce soil ...

Think twice before stepping on that crunchy top layer of soil. It may be a vital ecosystem—one that you can help protect. By Jude Coleman / Knowable Magazine Published Sep 3, 2024 8:00 AM EDT This ...