A desert foray

We started some explorations on fungi in desert crusts this week with a project in Joshua Tree National Park. Nuttapom received a Robert Lee Graduate Student research grant to explore impacts of visitor disturbance on biodiversity of desert crusts in JTNP.  Nat with the help of Claudia, Derreck, and Prof Mike Allen did a first exploration of a few sites.  We are happy to see some rain falling this week so there should be some changes to the crusts in some subsequent visits this week and weekend and coinciding with a workshop on desert crusts in the park this weekend. Here’s a few pictures of the team out in the field last week.[caption id=”attachment_1475” align=”aligncenter” width=”863”] Mike and Derreck ahead in Hidden Valley[/caption][caption id=”attachment_1477” align=”aligncenter” width=”604”] Nat, getting his first taste of sampling in the desert.[/caption][caption id=”attachment_1473” align=”aligncenter” width=”604”] Dereck and Claudia helping to look for crusts. Claudia is researching sandstone associated fungi from a variety of habitats.[/caption][caption id=”attachment_1474” align=”aligncenter” width=”604”] Cyanobacteria dominated crust[/caption][caption id=”attachment_1476” align=”aligncenter” width=”778”] Moss & crusts[/caption]