At the end of the Canyonlands Backcountry blog entry, we mentioned that Neil was 'neurotic about cryptobiotic soil'. Given that this stuff can be found in so many of the parks we visit, we figured it would be good to stop being so elusive and write a post about what it is we are referring to.
So what exactly is cryptobiotic soil and why is it so important?
Cryptobiotic soil is a form of biological
soil crust that is composed of soil cyanobacteria, lichins, and mosses which is found in the southwest. Biological soil crusts can be found all around the world such as Canyonlands, Joshua Tree, and Arches in varying forms depeniding on the climate, plant community, and geography. Biological soil crusts are communities of living organisms that are composed of fungi, lichens, cyanobacteria, brophytes, and algae. These types of soils are often found in arid conditions- hence the existence of cryptobiotic soil in the southwest.
Cryptobiotic soil forms a crust when the filaments from cyanobacteria connect the grains of sand and dust together. These fibers hold the sand and dirt in place which reduces the chances of erosion from wind and water. Further, the seeds are also held in place which increases the chances of germination. The lichens and mosses of cryptobiotic soil hold nutrients like nitrogen and carbon as well as moisture from rainfall which are then used to fertilize and water the surrounding plants. This soil, while it may look quite passive, actually serves a very important role in the desert landscape of Arches and Canyonlands.
But why can't we crush it? It'll just grow back, right?
Cryptobiotic soil is incredibly delicate and takes a long time to develop. These soils take anywhere from 50 to 100 years to develop! In fact, after disturbances in the overlying crust, 'underlying soils are left vulnerable to both wind and water erosion for at least 20 years'. This loss of soil results in a loss of fertility in the area. The soil that is then moved from wind and water will then bury surrounding crusts which will result in their deaths as well (because, you know, photosynthesis). Some scientists speculate that the land area which is already disturbed from human activity will lead to increases in wind erosion rates.
So the best thing we can do when enjoying the outdoors is to simply not crush the crust. When you do go out hiking, be sure to stay on the designated trails and appreciate nature from a distance (no matter how cool that macro shot of the flower that is just 5ft away might be). Similarly, keep vehicles on designated roads. If you really must walk on the crust ever, do so in a single file line so as to minimize the amount of damage done. If you do say off the crust, in the words of the Joshua Tree website on Cryptobiotic soils, 'the desert will thank you for this in years to come, with bountiful wildflowers display[ed] in the crusted areas, as well as with land kept in place and a healthy ecosystem.'
We typically portray the desert as a dead landscape but it's actually much more alive than we think it is!
Sources:
Joshua Tree National Park
USGS
Wiki
