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Episode 9 - Biocrusts: Restoration from the Ground Up

In this episode of Outstanding in the Field we’ll be discussing tiny communities that are found on the surface of the soil in the harsh environments of cold and hot deserts. These often-overlooked communities are called biological soil crusts, or biocrusts for short, and USGS scientists at the Southwest Biological Science Center have been studying them for quite a while.

Outstanding in the Field - Episode 9 artwork. Scientist in the field studying biocrusts.
Outstanding in the Field - Episode 9 artwork. USGS scientist Sasha Reed in the field studying biocrusts.  Artwork by Jeffrey Kemp. (Public domain.)

Episode 9 - Biocrusts

Episode title: Restoration from the Ground Up

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Summary: In this episode of Outstanding in the Field we’ll be discussing tiny communities that are found on the surface of the soil in the harsh environments of cold and hot deserts. These often-overlooked communities are called biological soil crusts, or biocrusts for short, and USGS scientists at the Southwest Biological Science Center have been studying them for quite a while.

Interviewee: Sasha Reed, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center

Writer: Todd Wojtowicz, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

Narrator: Marisa Lubeck, USGS Public Affairs Specialist

Producer: Suzanna Soileau, Outreach Coordinator (Ecosystems Mission Area)

Music: The Green Hillside by Martin Fitzpatrick (used with permission).

Original artwork: Jeffrey Kemp and USGS image.

 

More Information on BiocrustsBiocrusts: The living skin of the Earth