Ferran Garcia-Pichel, Professor of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, will give a talk about biological soil crusts, which are commonly found in semiarid and arid environments throughout the world. Formed by cyanobacteria, mosses, and lichens, the crust plays an important role in preventing the erosion of underlying sediments as well as soil biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling. The Garcia-Pichel lab studies the diversity and distribution of bacteria in natural communities as well as biological adaptations to extreme environments at the physiological and biochemical level.
Friday, November 6, 2009
12:00 pm
Hugel Science Center, Room 103