Sculpting the Sands: Biocrust Restoration Pioneers a New Path for Arid Ecosystems

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On parched landscapes where wind scours bare soil and rain vanishes in dust storms, microscopic communities of lichens, mosses and cyanobacteria form living crusts that anchor life's next wave. A new blend of drone mapping, lab-grown inoculants and indigenous stewardship is reviving these biocrusts, transforming deserts into resilient ecosystems and opening fresh avenues for carbon capture.