Deserts Made Hotter By Microbial Islands

Environment





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The stark effect microbial communities have on the color of deserts can be seen in this photograph from Chandler, Arizona. Ferran Garcia-Pichel, Arizona State University

Colonies of microbes create heat islands within deserts, areas hotter than their surroundings. These ecosystems help fight erosion and fertilize the limited soil, but they also play a neglected part in warming the planet.