When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: helivideo / Getty Images Many parts of Earth are covered and protected by a layer of ...

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 ...

Microorganisms located in the so-called biocrust (the top millimeters to centimeter of the desert soil) enrich the soil with carbon and nitrogen, and also help prevent soil erosion and retain water.

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 ...

Think twice before stepping on that crunchy top layer of soil. It may be a vital ecosystem that you can help protect Jude Coleman, Knowable Magazine Biocrust in Utah Nihonjoe via Wikipedia under CC By ...

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.

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is significantly altering both community structure and ecosystem processes in terrestrial ecosystems across the globe. However, our understanding of the ...

First authors Stefanie Imminger and Dimitri Meier sampling biocrusts in the Negev Desert, Israel. Credit: S. Imminger und D.V. Meier First authors Stefanie Imminger and Dimitri Meier sampling ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. These soil surfaces ...

(CNN) — Rammed earth portions of the Great Wall of China — built by compressing natural materials with soils — have been regarded as a weak point in its structure. But these swaths of the iconic ...