CanyonlandsNPS:
Old-growth soil crust covered in the lichen "blushing scale."
CanyonlandsNPS:
Brain scale close-up.
CanyonlandsNPS:
Old growth soil crust covered in the lichen "brain scale."
CanyonlandsNPS:
Micro-canyonlands formed by cyanobacterial soil crusts.
CanyonlandsNPS:
A tiny forest of hairless twisted moss.
CanyonlandsNPS:
Cold winters (frost heaving) cause the high relief of soil crusts in southeast Utah.
CanyonlandsNPS:
A tiny world of colorful lichens.
CanyonlandsNPS:
A tiny world of colorful lichens.
CanyonlandsNPS:
A tiny world of colorful lichens.
CanyonlandsNPS:
Old-growth soil crust, draped in lichens.
CanyonlandsNPS:
Cyanobacteria wrapped around sand grains (90x magnification)
CanyonlandsNPS:
Sheaths of cyanobacteria (950x magnification)
CanyonlandsNPS:
Sheltered from wind & rain, a seedling takes root in mature biological soil crust.
CanyonlandsNPS:
A ring of twisted moss on mature biological soil crust.
CanyonlandsNPS:
A young fish hook cactus shelterd by soil crust.