Biological soil crusts: webs of life in the desert

http://fresc.usgs.gov/products/fs/fs-065-01.pdf

Fact sheet on the need to protect biological soil crusts in the desert. These crusts are most of the soil surface in deserts not covered by green plants and are inhabited by cyanobacterium (blue-green algae) and other organisms useful to the ecosystem.

by Belnap, Jayne and Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (Sponsor)

U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 065-01

This publication is available only as a PDF document.