Hidden Life in Grand Canyon
Bill Barrick - September 15, 2026 Cryptobiotic soil forms dry desert areas like the Colorado Plateau, the Sonoran Desert, the Great Basin, and the inner Columbia Basin. Cryptobiotic means “hidden-life.” This top soil layer is composed of cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, green algae, and microfungi. These living organisms jointly form a hard black crust enabling the soil to resist erosion, absorb rainfall, and provide nutrients and ground stability for neighboring plants. Over 70% of ground in the Southwestern United States is covered by this crust. Its depth can be 1–15