Chinese scientists are testing whether cyanobacteria, the photosynthetic microorganisms that have shaped Earth’s soils for billions of years, can convert barren desert sand into ground capable of ...

A new study shows that resilient and remarkably diverse populations of organisms can persist in the soil despite harsh and extremely dry conditions. An international team led by researchers from the ...

Bats move through desert night skies with a purpose that is easy to overlook and difficult to replace. As they travel from plant to plant, feeding on nectar, they are also performing one of the most ...

From the driest deserts to the lushest forests, ecosystems are networks of life where organisms and the environment interact. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll explore how plants function ...

The microbes, which appear to mimic early-stage life on Earth, could help scientists understand how life might form on other planets. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window) Share on X (opens in a ...

Desert soils are distinguished by extreme aridity, low organic matter and strong spatial heterogeneity, yet they support specialised plant communities through intricate nutrient cycles and water-soil ...

Habitat loss and fragmentation is often exacerbated in deserts, where many species are specialized to live in this habitat. Larger desert-living animals are also considered more extinction prone ...

Deserts cover roughly one-third of Earth’s land surface and support specialised flora and fauna adapted to extreme aridity, temperature extremes and resource scarcity. Population dynamics in these ...

Every mind-bending molecule in nature has an evolutionary origin; a defense against being eaten, a lure for pollinators, or perhaps a happy biochemical accident. Though they seem extraordinary, life ...