← Hidden Soils explorerREADING EDITION / ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS

BCC / Hidden Soils

Look closely.
Leave it intact.

Eight original plates and four scene guides. All information is available without JavaScript. Use your browser’s Print command for a paper edition.

Original teaching illustrations, not microscope images, measured soil profiles, species identifications, or a surveyed Bryce community. Shapes, colors, spacing, and relative sizes are designed for explanation. No physical scale or depth is inferred from the drawing.

Regional examples are distinguished from Bryce evidence in the field notes. Stay on designated trails. Do not collect, wet, touch, or step on soil crusts.

The eight plates

Original cutaway illustration of a thin living surface above mineral grains, threadlike binders, and branching roots.

01 / Surface & soil

A living skin

Regional teaching model · Illustration

A soil crust lives at the meeting of ground and air. Organisms and their by-products bind a mineral surface; the ground beneath contains particles, pores, and roots. The enlarged living veneer in this cutaway is a visual explanation, not a measured horizon.

  1. Living surfaceOrganisms occupy the soil–air interface.
  2. Binding threadsFilaments and sticky material help hold particles together.
  3. Soil beneathMineral material and pore spaces continue below the surface.

The surface community is drawn larger to make it visible. The cutaway is imaginary; nothing was excavated or sampled.

References: USGS · USDA NRCS

Illustrated chains of small cyanobacterial cells in broad translucent sheaths weave between irregular soil grains.

02 / Cyanobacteria

Threads that hold

Microscopic schematic · Illustration

Some soil cyanobacteria grow as chains of cells within sticky sheaths. These filaments and sheath material connect soil particles. Cyanobacteria are bacteria that photosynthesize; they are not plant roots. Some kinds fix nitrogen, but that is not a property of every filament.

  1. Cell chainA filament can contain many adjoining cells.
  2. Sticky sheathMaterial surrounding the filament adheres to grains.
  3. Mineral grainThe living network binds nonliving particles.

Cell shapes and colors are schematic, not a microscope capture. Sheaths are emphasized; no magnification or species is assigned.

References: NPS Capitol Reef · NPS Glen Canyon

Original lichen cutaway with a protective upper fungal band, green photosynthetic cells, loosely woven fungal threads, and soil below.

03 / Inside a lichen

A close partnership

General anatomy · Illustration

A lichen brings a fungus together with a photosynthetic partner: an alga, a cyanobacterium, or both. This simplified section shows photosynthetic cells among fungal threads. Real thalli differ; many crustose forms do not have a lower cortex.

  1. Upper cortexClosely packed fungal threads form the upper band in this model.
  2. Photosynthetic partnerAlgal or cyanobacterial cells capture light energy.
  3. MedullaLoosely arranged fungal threads occupy the interior.

This is a selected anatomical arrangement, not a universal lichen section. A soil lichen is not the same thing as an entire biological soil crust.

References: ANBG lichen biology · NPS Glen Canyon

Moss cushion beside an enlarged leafy shoot with fine rhizoids and a long stalk ending in a spore capsule.

04 / Moss shoots

A miniature canopy

General anatomy · Illustration

A moss cushion contains many small leafy shoots. Fine rhizoids anchor the shoots; they are not the true roots of vascular plants. A stalk may carry a capsule that releases spores. These selected forms teach moss anatomy without naming a local species.

  1. Leafy shootsMany shoots form a small canopy close to the ground.
  2. RhizoidsFine anchoring filaments are distinct from true roots.
  3. Spore capsuleThe capsule belongs to the spore-producing generation.

Leaf, capsule, and rhizoid proportions are enlarged independently. No species identification or mapped occurrence is supplied.

References: ANBG moss biology · USGS

Branching fungal threads traverse mineral grains and a decomposing leaf fragment in an original schematic.

05 / Fungal hyphae

The quieter threads

Soil-process schematic · Illustration

Fungal hyphae are fine, branching threads. Many soil fungi break down organic material; fungal growth and microbial products can also help bind particles. This network represents those relationships without identifying a species or claiming a measured connection between plants.

  1. HyphaOne branching fungal thread.
  2. Litter fragmentDead plant material can supply organic matter.
  3. Aggregated particlesBiological binding is one contributor to soil structure.

Light threads denote fungi; they are not a mapped underground network. Not every soil fungus decomposes the same material or partners with roots.

References: USDA NRCS · ANBG lichen biology

A cluster of irregular mineral particles separated by light air spaces and blue water-filled pores, all drawn schematically.

06 / Minerals & pores

Space between grains

Soil-structure schematic · Illustration

Soil is more than solid material. Mineral particles can cluster into aggregates, with pores both within and between clusters. Air and water share that space in changing proportions. Pore arrangement influences movement; this drawing does not predict infiltration or drainage at Bryce.

  1. AggregateA group of particles held together.
  2. Pore spaceAn opening among particles or aggregates.
  3. Water-filled poreBlue marks pore space containing water in this drawing.

Blue identifies water, pale openings identify air-filled space in this drawing. No fixed porosity, particle-size ratio, or mineral identification is implied.

References: USDA NRCS

An imaginary soil cutaway showing fallen needles and leaves at the surface above branching roots, mineral particles, and pores.

07 / Roots & litter

From leaf to soil

General soil cutaway · Illustration

Fallen plant material rests above soil, where decomposition can add organic matter. Living roots branch through the ground and interact with pore spaces. Bryce has several forest zones; this generic root-and-litter drawing is not a soil sample from any one of them.

  1. Plant litterFallen material at the ground surface.
  2. Branching rootsVascular plant roots extend through soil.
  3. Pore networkSpaces around particles provide routes for air, water, and growth.

No sampled horizon, named tree, or root depth is represented. Roots, litter, and biocrusts are separate features; they are not interchangeable.

References: USDA NRCS · NPS Bryce

An overhead teaching illustration with dark filament-bound soil, pale lichen patches, green moss cushions, and light mineral gaps.

08 / Community mosaic

A patchwork of life

Regional teaching model · Illustration

Crusts can contain cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, algae, and other microorganisms in different combinations. Soil and microclimate help shape that patchwork. These illustrated patches are possibilities, not four ages of the same crust or a measured Bryce community.

  1. Lichen patchesOne possible surface component.
  2. Moss cushionsAnother component, with a distinct growth form.
  3. Subtle crustFilament-bound surfaces need not be dark or conspicuous.

A pale or smooth surface is not proof that the ground is lifeless. Look from a designated trail; do not collect, wet, touch, or step on crusts.

References: USGS · NPS Glen Canyon · NPS Capitol Reef

Four layered scenes, in words

Scene 01

The living surface

Regional illustration · no measured depth

The living surface: original layered teaching illustration; numbered features described alongside.

Follow a living surface into the soil beneath it. Hide a layer to reveal the drawing behind it, then select a numbered feature.

  1. Life at the surface Light reaches the soil–air interface. Cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, and other organisms can form a living veneer. The types shown here are regional teaching examples.
  2. A web around grains Filaments and sticky sheath material connect particles. Hiding the mineral body exposes the illustrated network; real soil would not separate into these clean graphic layers.
  3. Soil continues below The crust is a surface community, not the entire soil profile. Particle clusters and pores below it are drawn schematically, without measured thickness or texture.
  4. Roots are a different structure The branching roots belong to a vascular plant in this imaginary patch. They are distinct from cyanobacterial filaments, fungal hyphae, and moss rhizoids.

References: USGS · USDA NRCS

Scene 02

The filament weave

Microscopic schematic · no magnification claim

The filament weave: original layered teaching illustration; numbered features described alongside.

Look between grains at a schematic cyanobacterial network. Cell chains and their surrounding sheaths can be inspected separately.

  1. A chain of cells These repeated small shapes represent adjoining cyanobacterial cells. Colors and proportions were chosen for readability, not copied from a microscope image.
  2. The material around the cells The wider ribbons represent sticky sheaths. Sheath material adheres to grains and can remain after living filaments have moved or died.
  3. The mineral framework Biocrusts combine organisms, their products, and inorganic soil. These faceted grains are invented shapes, not identified minerals.
  4. A mixture of sizes Smaller fragments lie among larger grains in this illustration. Their drawn sizes are not a particle-size analysis, and cell and grain scales are intentionally compressed.

References: NPS Capitol Reef · NPS Glen Canyon

Scene 03

A community mosaic

Regional illustration · no Bryce occurrence map

A community mosaic: original layered teaching illustration; numbered features described alongside.

Compare possible surface components. Layer switches isolate growth forms; they do not simulate succession, disturbance, or recovery.

  1. Lichens at the surface Pale scales represent one possible lichen growth form. A lichen is a partnership; it is only one component that a biological soil crust may contain.
  2. A moss cushion Mosses are small plants. Their leafy shoots make a different surface texture from the flat lichen scales or the filament-bound soil beside them.
  3. Life can be inconspicuous Crust appearance varies. Some crusts look much like mineral soil, so a pale or smooth patch is not a safe place to test with a foot or hand.
  4. A changing mixture Soil, climate, and disturbance history influence community composition. The placement and area of every patch here are illustrative; these are not measured cover percentages.

References: USGS · NPS Glen Canyon

Scene 04

The root zone

General cutaway · no sampled Bryce horizon

The root zone: original layered teaching illustration; numbered features described alongside.

Trace the relationship between fallen plant material, roots, and the spaces within soil. This scene introduces general soil structure.

  1. Material returns to the ground Fallen leaves and needles contribute plant material at the surface. Decomposition can add organic matter to soil; no rate or quantity is modeled here.
  2. Roots explore the soil Roots grow through soil and influence its structure. This drawn root system is a general teaching form, not the roots of an identified Bryce tree.
  3. Pores are part of soil Spaces occur within and between aggregates. Water and air occupy them in changing amounts; blue markings here are a visual key, not a moisture measurement.
  4. Particles gather into structure An aggregate is a cluster of soil particles. Roots, fungal growth, and biological products are among the processes that can help hold clusters together.

References: USDA NRCS · NPS Bryce

A small vocabulary

Biological soil crust
A surface community of organisms and their by-products that binds soil. Often shortened to biocrust.
Cyanobacteria
Bacteria that use light for photosynthesis. Some soil forms grow in filaments; some kinds can fix nitrogen.
Sheath
Material surrounding a filament. Sticky cyanobacterial sheaths can adhere to soil particles.
Hypha / hyphae
One fungal thread / many fungal threads. Hyphae can branch and form a network.
Lichen
An association of a fungus with photosynthetic algae, cyanobacteria, or both.
Thallus
The body of a lichen, formed by its fungal and photosynthetic partners.
Photobiont
The photosynthetic partner in a lichen.
Rhizoid
A fine anchoring structure in a moss, distinct from a true vascular-plant root.
Aggregate
A cluster of soil particles held together by physical, chemical, or biological processes.
Pore
A space within or between soil aggregates that can contain air or water.
Litter
Fallen plant material at the ground surface; decomposition can contribute soil organic matter.
Nitrogen fixation
Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into biologically usable forms by certain organisms. Not every crust organism does this.

Sources and rights

Original BCC vector art and code, created for this pack. Source publications inform factual captions; no source photographs, diagrams, logos, or maps are copied. No third-party media license is implied.

  1. Integrated Upland Monitoring in Bryce Canyon National Park: Annual Report 2010 (Non-sensitive Version)

    National Park Service · Dana Witwicki · 2012-01 (report publication; monitoring year 2010; NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2012/524.N). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Selected Bryce pinyon-juniper and mixed-conifer plots in 2010. Section 3.2.6 describes litter, small rocks, and undifferentiated crust as prominent surface cover in sampled pinyon-juniper plots; litter dominated the mixed-conifer plots. Table 3-7 reports cyanobacterial, lichen, moss, and undifferentiated-crust categories separately. The methods refer to NRCS Panguitch soil mapping, distinct from the NPS inventory program. An historical monitoring snapshot of selected plots, not current park-wide condition or species identification. No plot locations, measured cover values, or sample geometry are transferred to the art.

  2. Discovering neglected lichen diversity with DNA-based inventories: metabarcoding lichen-forming fungi in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA

    Plant and Fungal Systematics · Robison, Adams & Leavitt · 2023-12-29 (research article publication; field sampling 2022). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Three selected, ecologically distinct Bryce study areas. The study found distinct lichen-forming fungal assemblages among its selected study areas. The methods include multiple substrates, including rock and soil. The authors call for voucher-based collections to strengthen taxonomic determinations. A lichen DNA inventory is not a soil-crust cover map. Candidate DNA identifications are not all confirmed species. No sensitive taxon, precise location, sampling instructions, or source figure is reproduced.

  3. Upland Vegetation and Soils

    National Park Service · Northern Colorado Plateau Network · 2025-06-11 (page updated). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Network program including Bryce Canyon. Bryce is among parks in the network's upland vegetation and soil monitoring program. The program measures biological soil crusts, soil stability, hydrologic function, and plant communities. A program overview does not establish the occurrence, cover, condition, or species composition of a particular Bryce soil patch.

  4. Nature & Science at Bryce Canyon

    National Park Service · Bryce Canyon National Park · 2021-01-27 (page updated). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Bryce Canyon. Bryce includes spruce/fir, ponderosa pine, and pinyon/juniper forest zones. Habitat context only; not a soil map or a local crust inventory.

  5. NPS Geodiversity Atlas — Bryce Canyon National Park

    National Park Service · Geologic Resources Inventory · 2024-06-17 (page updated). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Bryce Canyon. The checked page states that an NPS Soil Resources Inventory project has not been completed for Bryce. This is the status stated by this page, not a claim that no soil research or other soil data exist. Status may change.

  6. Biological Soil Crusts: Webs of Life in the Desert

    U.S. Geological Survey · Jayne Belnap · 2001 (publication year; Fact Sheet 065-01; doi:10.3133/fs06501). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Drylands, general. Biocrust communities can include cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, microfungi, bacteria, and green algae. Surface appearance and cover vary with environment and disturbance. Biocrusts help stabilize soil and contribute to soil fertility. Not a species list, percentage cover, or measured soil profile for Bryce.

  7. Biological Soil Crusts

    National Park Service · Capitol Reef National Park · 2021-02-20 (page updated). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Capitol Reef / Colorado Plateau. Filamentous cyanobacteria and their sticky sheath material bind soil particles. Color varies with the combination of organisms. Footsteps and vehicles can damage crusts. Regional comparison; not evidence of a Bryce species or a recovery clock. No collection or wetting instructions are reproduced.

  8. Cryptobiotic Soil Crusts

    National Park Service · Glen Canyon National Recreation Area · 2024-06-17 (page updated). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Glen Canyon / drylands. Crust development depends on soil, elevation, and microclimate. Some cyanobacteria and lichens contribute nitrogen fixation. Lichens and mosses may form a patchwork at the surface. No universal infiltration benefit, developmental sequence, or local Bryce abundance is inferred.

  9. Biological Soil Crust of Southeast Utah

    National Park Service · Southeast Utah Group · 2025-04-29 (page updated). Checked 2 October 2026.

    Southeast Utah parks. Some crusts resemble bare soil; appearance alone is not a safe disturbance test. Trampling can break the living surface and expose loose material to erosion. Visitors should remain on designated routes. Park examples and recovery estimates are not transferred to Bryce. No field manipulation is encouraged.

  10. Soil Quality Indicators: Soil Structure & Macropores

    USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service · 2008-06 (document date). Checked 2 October 2026.

    General soil science. Mineral particles form aggregates with spaces between and within them. Pore spaces contain air and water, and their arrangement affects movement. Roots, fungi, and microbial products help develop soil structure. General mechanisms, not a Bryce texture analysis, horizon sequence, or fixed fraction of air and water. Agricultural management advice is not transferred to protected park soils.

  11. What is a lichen?

    Australian National Botanic Gardens / Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research · No date stated (undated page; checked 2026-10-02). Checked 2 October 2026.

    General lichen biology. Lichens associate a fungus with photosynthetic algae and/or cyanobacteria. Hyphae form the fungal body; structures vary among growth forms. A common thallus arrangement includes a cortex, photobiont cells, and medulla. General anatomy only. No Australian species is presented as a Bryce organism; the simplified section is not universal.

  12. What is a moss?

    Australian National Botanic Gardens · Australian Bryophytes · Heino Lepp · 2008-04-15 (page footer update date; copyright footer 2012). Checked 2 October 2026.

    General moss biology. Mosses have leafy shoots and anchoring rhizoids rather than true roots. Spore capsules can be borne on stalks. General anatomy; no species or Bryce occurrence is implied.