Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) green and brown algae, lichens and mosses occur throughout most of the watershed, and in fact are found in most regions of the world. These small, often overlooked living organisms and their by-products play an important role in stabilizing soils, slowing water evaporation and cycling nutrients. Because microbiotics are contained in the top 1 to 4mm of soil, they are easily destroyed by compaction (grazing, hiking, ATV’s) and can be destroyed during high or medium-intensity fires *(USDAFS. 1997). Both trampling and fire break up the fine filaments holding microbiotic crusts together.

Although very little is know about the rate of microbiotic recolonization after fire or other disturbance events (some studies suggest it may take up to 200 years for mosses and lichens to recover), it is becoming increasingly more evident that they play an important role in maintaining soil structure to reduce erosion caused by precipitation and wind, adding organic matter and nitrogen to the soil, providing nutritional benefits to adjacent vascular plants, influencing wildlife nutrition, and increasing species diversity **(USDFS, 1996).

* USDAFS. 1997. Introduction to Microbiotic Crusts. Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Quality Institute & Grazing Lands Technology Institute.

** USDAFS. 1996. Terrestrial Cryptogams of Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands in the Southwestern United States: A review. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. General Technical Report RM-GTR-280.

Cryptogams (algae, lichen and moss), which make up Microbiotic crusts are found in many uninhabitable areas like on trees and rocks; however, they are very susceptible to fire and other disturbances.