close up aerial view of phlox flowers in dry desert topsoil of utah

aerial arid biogenic biologically biology break brown climate close cohesion colonization convert cryptobiotic cryptosoil desert disintegration down dry education environment filament filamentous four geology grasses growth interesting landscape landscaping learning lichen lichens lifeforms marks moss natural nitrogen nutrients pedology process processes procured science soil southwest southwestern specialization stability states study surface textured time topsoil united utah view weathering xeriscaping