Episode Seven: How Do Microbial Forests Keep The Desert Habitable?

Please join us as we talk with Kevin, a third year PhD student who studies the “microbial forests” that cover arid regions. We start off by discussing the journey Kevin took from wanting to be a high school teacher all they way to his current work on how how microbes produce their own sunblock! We shift focus to talk about Haboobs...yes Haboobs, which are giant dust storms which wreak havoc on arid regions, such as the south west of the US and the Middle East. As more developers build neighborhoods in Arizona,  Haboobs become more frequent as people destroy biological soil crusts which hold down the soil. Join us as we discuss the importance of biological soil crusts in arid ecosystems and how you can prevent their destruction. Learn more at www.mikroscopepodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram: @_mikroscope_ Follow Mike: @mikroscopemike Follow Kevin: @mikroscopekevin