Living Desert Series Part I: The Cryptobiotic Soil of Moab, UT
10 Minute Read
I’m excited to kick off Part 1 of my Living Desert series, where we’ll explore the inspiration behind my Moab-themed illustrations and assets. On a recent family get-together in Moab, we had the opportunity to explore a hike with a trailhead christened by two little ladies trying their hardest to educate the public on “Living Soil.” They offered free stickers and informational pamphlets for completing the hike without wandering off-trail, rewarding any efforts in protecting this unique soil I’d never heard of before. Upon returning home, I was inspired to learn more about living soil (after receiving my free sticker, of course) and wanted to help emphasize its importance in a fun and creative way.
Illustrations and Assets:
Summary:
Cryptobiotic soil stabilizes the desert floor, prevents erosion, and supports plant growth.
A single footprint can cause damage that takes years to recover.
It appears dark and crusty, often in patches with textures or slight shine.
Found in 12% of the world’s deserts, from the U.S. to Australia and Asia.
Stay on trails, leash pets, and educate others to protect it.
Table of Contents
What is Cryptobiotic Soil?
When visiting Moab, you might notice that the soil in some areas looks dark, bumpy, and crusty. There might even be signs requesting you to stay on designated trails because of it. This is known as cryptobiotic soil, biosoil, or living soil, and it consists of billions of microorganisms working together to stabilize the very ground you’re walking on. Made up of living things like bacteria, algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi, these communities act as a shield for the desert floor by binding loose sand and soil particles to create a sturdy surface and protect against extreme erosion, dust storms, and even climate change.
Plate Illustration Stationary Print
In my first design, I wanted to make the microorganisms in living soil more visually approachable since microscopic things can be off-putting or uninteresting to people. You don’t typically see designs like this as a souvenir—unless you’re at a science center with a dedicated gift shop for living soil.
I went with the Art Nuva Ultra Rough font because it has that “cryptid” vibe with a touch of free-flowing grooviness. Its unique style felt like the perfect fit to complement the casual yet serious figures above.
I chose a deep red background to symbolize the rich hues you see in Moab, paired with my brand’s daisy yellow for a high-contrast and eye-catching effect. While searching for the perfect hoodie (because who doesn’t love a cozy, oversized Moab hoodie?), all I could find were either bright colors or neutral browns. Why not utilize the gorgeous reds right outside your shop door? I’m guessing international mass printing—but who knows.
How Did Cryptobiotic Soil Form in Moab?
Likely thousands and thousands of years ago, microorganisms gradually accumulated via wind, water, and animals. The process begins when cyanobacteria–various types of bacteria capable of photosynthesis–produce long, thread-like structures called filaments. These filaments spread through the soil, trapping dust and sand particles together to create a network that forms a protective crust. This crust supports additional microorganisms and helps stabilize the soil, retain moisture, and make the desert environment more hospitable for plant life. Over time, as more microorganisms accumulate and the crust thickens, it enhances the soil’s stability and capacity to sustain life in the harsh, arid conditions of the desert. That’s why you see so much plant life in certain areas when visiting places like Moab.
How Can I Identify Living Soil vs Regular Soil?
When visiting Moab, it’s important for you to be able to identify what’s living and what’s not. Partly so you can look super cool to your travel buddies, but also so you can help educate others and minimize your negative impact on the environment.
Surface Appearance:
Living Soil: Often has a dark, crusty appearance with a mix of colors like black, brown, and gray. It may appear somewhat rough or textured and can sometimes have a slightly shiny or wet look due to secretions of microorganisms.
Non-Living Soil: Typically looks dry, loose, and more uniform in color with shades of brown or gray. It lacks the distinct crust or texture of living soil.
Texture:
Living Soil: Feels somewhat hard or crusty to the touch. When you press on it, it might not crumble easily and could have a slightly spongy texture.
Non-Living Soil: Feels loose and powdery or granular, it will crumble easily.
Environmental Indicators:
Living Soil: Often located in arid or semi-arid regions, like deserts or high-altitude areas where soil stabilization and moisture retention are important.
Non-Living Soil: Found everywhere.
Where Else Can I Find It?
Cryptobiotic soil can be found across 12% of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions like Moab. It's common in deserts like the Colorado Plateau (which includes parts of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado), the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, and the Great Basin Desert. Globally, cryptobiotic soil can be found in Australia, Africa, and parts of Asia.
Interestingly, cryptobiotic soil has also been found on man-made structures, including the Great Wall of China. The living crust has trapped particles and reduced erosion, helping to protect the wall from the effects of weathering and environmental damage over 2,300 years.
How Rare is it to Find Living Soil?
Living soil only covers 12% of the earth, which means that if you live in the US, you have roughly a 1 in 200 chance of coming across it unintentionally when visiting states like Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. That’s the equivalent of seeing a California Condor in the wild, seeing a comet in the sky, or seeing a mountain lion on your hike. Consider how rare those things are and how lucky you’d feel to experience them. Now, apply that to cryptobiotic soil.
Cryptobiotic Soil on Mars
I might have baited you with that headline because there have been no discoveries of cryptobiotic soil on Mars. However, studying cryptobiotic soil helps scientists understand how life can survive in extreme environments like the ones found on Mars. So, while not seen yet, our own soil is helping us study the soil and terrain of other planets. Cool, right?
Why is Living Soil Important?
In a desert environment like Moab, where harsh conditions and sparse plant life are the norm, cryptobiotic soil is a lifeline in many ways, including:
Preventing Erosion:
Cryptobiotic soil crusts stabilize the ground by holding soil in place. Without this layer, Moab’s desert would be far more prone to erosion, potentially damaging rock formations and creating barren, lifeless patches of land.
Supporting Plant Growth:
In an environment where water is scarce, plants need all the help they can get. Cryptobiotic soil assists by capturing moisture and nutrients, allowing native plants like sagebrush and yucca to thrive. These crusts also help fix nitrogen in the soil, providing an essential nutrient for plant growth, especially in areas with poor fertility.
Reducing Dust Storms:
Cryptobiotic soil crusts trap loose particles that would otherwise become airborne. By preventing dust from being swept into the air, these crusts help maintain air quality and visibility.
Carbon Storage:
The microorganisms in cryptobiotic soil are active in carbon sequestration, capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This helps reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, which combats climate change. Although their impact on global carbon levels is small, every bit counts in maintaining ecological balance.
Why is it So Fragile?
Despite its toughness in surviving harsh conditions, cryptobiotic soil is extremely vulnerable to human activity. It can take decades, even centuries, to form fully. However, just a single footprint can destroy years of growth. When you step on cryptobiotic soil, the delicate structures break down, and the protective crust is lost, leaving the land beneath vulnerable to erosion. Recovery from even minor disturbances can take over 100 years, depending on the area’s moisture and temperature.
Cryptobiotic Soil Information Summary Card with Plate Illustration
I came across another artwork centered around plants that was arranged in a similar way. It inspired me to create an information summary card in which readers could quickly (and easily) learn the basics of living soil.
I thought to myself, what would I have enjoyed receiving from those ladies at the trailhead if I could choose? And something like this is right up my alley. Because, YES, I want to learn about my environment in a fun and easy way with cute illustrations that I wouldn’t mind hanging up at home if it matched my decor. You feel me?
I started by using the same illustration from my earlier design, rearranging it into the layout you see here. Then, I dove into coloring. I’ll admit, it was a bit challenging trying to color microscopic organisms that I’ve never actually seen. As you can tell, I stuck mostly with green hues paired with warm tones for contrast. Each figure has its own label to keep things clear without overloading the design with text.
On the back, I included the top five things to know about living soil, making it both informative and visually appealing.
What it is
Why you should care
How it forms
Where it’s found
What you can do to help protect it
Are You Harming Cryptobiotic Soil?
I know, you’re probably not traveling to Moab and other areas specifically to destroy the most important aspect of its future survival–that would be silly. However, I know a lot of us, myself included, get so swept up in the joy of travel and adventure that we might forget to consider how we affect the places we visit. Read the list below to learn what common activities actually destroy cryptobiotic soil and how you can help on your next cryptobiotic adventure.
Hiking and Camping in Undesignated Areas:
When visiting Moab or similar areas, you’ll probably see signs and staff requesting you to stay on designated trails. While it may seem like a precaution against getting lost or protecting re-growth, the reality is that each footstep outside of designated areas could cause years of damage to the soil and, ultimately, the entire landscape.
Mountain Biking and ATV Use:
After explaining how a single footprint can damage the soil, consider the impact of driving through it. We're talking about thousands and thousands of years for the soil to recover–if it's even possible at that point.
Collecting Rocks and Plants:
Hey, I love rock hounding as much as the next person, but when you’re in Moab looking for goodies in the dirt, consider what kind of dirt it is. Rocks, plants, and other natural features play their own role in stabilizing and nourishing the cryptobiotic soil, so removing them can be particularly hurtful.
Pets:
Just like people, pets can hurt biotic soil just by standing on it. Make sure to leash your pets in designated areas, and when off-leash, keep them within a safe distance.
Additionally, I think this goes without saying, but your pet's poop also hurts living soil. It hurts regular soil. It hurts all soil. Please pick it up and pack it out!
How You Can Help Protect Cryptobiotic Soil
Don’t worry; I won’t execute you for the crime of hiking off-trail in Moab. I only ask that you do your best to protect it in the future.
Stay on Designated Trails:
The easiest way to protect cryptobiotic soil is to stick to the marked trails and follow designated area signs. If you’re exploring areas where the crust is visible (because we’re all human), stay on rock surfaces and start playing the soil-is-lava.
Educate Others:
Most people probably don’t know about cryptobiotic soil and are still sinning like you did before reading this article. Do your part in educating your fellow travelers and spread the word about this fragile ecosystem we’re lucky to have and see.
Educational Moab Hoodie with Plate Illustration
When I was searching for the perfect hoodie, I realized there was a severe lack of creative designs as far as local shops go. All of them, of course, had some variation of the delicate arch—which I’m not saying is bad, but clothing is a great way to bring awareness to important topics—like cryptobiotic soil. If a design catches your eye enough to wear it, it might inspire people to learn more about what’s on it, too.
For my design, I again used the original illustration but adapted it with a versatile layout, allowing it to work across both apparel and stationary prints.
Why Cryptobiotic Soil is Key to Moab’s Future
Cryptobiotic soil is more than just a protective crust; it’s a vital piece of the desert ecosystem. Without it, the landscape of Moab could face severe degradation—leading to more erosion, dust storms, and fewer plants, ultimately resulting in environments similar to what we see in Death Valley and other hot and barren areas. If we want to continue visiting and enjoying places like Moab, and perhaps we want other generations to go someday too, it’s life-or-death-important to become advocates of the tiny creatures that live in the dirt.
To Summarize:
Cryptobiotic soil stabilizes the desert floor, preventing erosion and supports plant growth.
A single footprint can cause damage that takes years to recover.
It appears dark and crusty, often in patches with textures or slight shine.
Found in 12% of the world’s deserts, from the U.S. to Australia and Asia.
Stay on trails, leash pets, and educate others to protect it.
Protecting Moab is about more than donating to causes and picking up trash. It’s about studying the ecosystems you might visit and understanding your role in protecting them. Cryptobiotic soil is one of those things most people wouldn’t know about unless they took the time to learn. Take this article as your sign to research the areas you plan to visit and learn the interesting and obscure facts about them, because I promise, there are some that might blow your mind.
