A Dainty Strength

Some sentences below, are from a Wired article about dust storms in the American southwest, which recently saw a rare 100 mile wide dust storm that got lots of publicity even in a season marked by weather extremes. The article concludes with an intriguing geological feature that is little known, called "biological soil crusts," which feature of the terrain is utterly delicate and yet resistant to drought.

In January,...the United States Geological Survey released the results of a 20 year-long survey...[about] relationships between temperature, vegetation and soil loss on the Colorado Plateau, a region spanning Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. They found that higher temperatures reduce plant density, which in turn removes roots that hold soil together. [And so we could expect]... increased wind erosion and dust emission on the Colorado Plateau...[Surprising help may come from another discovery]
The researchers also found that so-called biological soil crusts, a little-studied layer of lichen and bacteria found in arid western regions, play a surprisingly large role in preventing erosion. Just a few millimeters thick, these crusts are extraordinarily sensitive, and can take decades to recover from a mere footprint. They’re also widely compromised by livestock, off-road vehicles and mining.
But in one important way, biological soil crusts are pwerfully resilient. The researchers found them to be mostly unaffected by changes in temperature and rainfall. If the crusts can be protected, a 21st century Dust Bowl might be averted.