The Great Desert

DESERT SOIL MICROBIOLOGY

On Saturday, we took a microscope view of the crusted desert soils that we had collected near Zia Pueblo. The bacterial filaments are clear as day, and inflated to be nice and green when the soil was watered. Dr. Ferran Garcia-Pichel's web site has more information about bacteria in desert soils.
 

Crust
 
Ant Hill

Ferran answers a question, but Cheryl is dubious. Credit.
 
The desert crust soil, marinated with water overnight. Credit.
     
Dry Soil
 
moistened soil

Dry soil, seen through the microscope. The sand looks black because it contrasts so much with the clear field around it. Perhaps one can imagine filaments among the sand grains. Credit.
 
The desert soil, with some water added. Lots of green filaments, the cyanobacterial 'mat' with fragments of sand attached to them. Credit.

To Desert Soil Site  | Back to Workshop Index
Back to "The Great Desert"
LPI home page | LPI Education Resources Page
Copyright Allan Treiman, LPI.
Updated 11/21/03.
Comments to webmaster@lpi.usra.edu.