Jornada researchers and their work were recently featured in The Arizona Republic. Dr. Ferran Garcia-Pichel and graduate students Julie Rakes and Corey Nelson study biocrust, a community of microorganisms living on soil surfaces. Biocrusts are ecologically important to the desert and can help to reduce air pollution, increase soil fertility, fix nitrogen, prevent soil erosion, and hold soil moisture. Unfortunately, however, biocrusts have been negatively impacted by anthropogenic factors. The Garcia-Pichel lab works to understand the distribution, diversity, and dynamics of biological soil crusts which will ultimately help in restoration methods. Check out the article and a virtual tour of their mobile lab here and watch the video!
