Though cyanobacteria are blue-green in color, they are not algae. Instead, they can grow in long strands on desert soil, forming bundles with sticky coatings on the outside.

He said wind erosion is not only bad for desert ecosystems like in the Four Corners area because soil loses its nutrients to the air, but soil erosion also hurts non-desert areas.

Preventing desertification requires a combination of environmental, agricultural, and social efforts. Here’s how to prevent ...

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.

The Tasallah Foundation in Bauchi State has planted over 3,000 trees in Darazo local government to mitigate the devastating ...

Miniscule plants growing on desert soils can help drylands retain water and reduce erosion, researchers have found. A global meta-analysis led by UNSW scientists shows tiny organisms that cover ...

Grazing livestock and farming over the past 4000 years have rapidly accelerated the rate of soil loss in the Alps, ...

In desert environments, biological soil crusts — or biocrusts — play a key role in slowing erosion, supporting plant growth, controlling dust and holding moisture.

“It’s important because of the huge role they play in preventing erosion,” said Gross, whois conducting research into desert soil restoration using biocrust. “Desert soils are easily blown away and ...

Soil erosion inflates food prices, in particular that of paddy rice, but also wheat and other staple foods. More water is withdrawn for agriculture, with an average 1.6% increase worldwide.