Amanda J. Williams

This dissertation employed a novel interdisciplinary approach to address those research unknowns through investigations of the micromorphological structure, soil-geomorphic relationships, and biogeochemical feedbacks of BSCs in the Mojave Desert.

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are bio-sedimentary complexes that play critical ecological roles in arid landscapes; however, the interactions between component biota and sediments are poorly understood.

The proposed conceptual model helps predict BSC distribution within intermontane basins to identify biologically sensitive areas, set reference conditions for ecological restoration, and potentially enhance arid landscape models, as scientists address impacts of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.