Natural Features & Ecosystems

To many, the most outstanding natural features of Colorado National Monument are the park's geological formations. In each of the canyons, visitors can see the remarkable effects of millions of years of erosion on a landscape of sedimentary rock. Many trails also wander through the pinyon-juniper woodland, where you'll encounter the monument's various tree species and other plants.

Two unusual natural features are common in Colorado National Monument and intrigue both scientists and visitors: biological soil crusts and potholes.

Biological Soil Crust

Have you noticed the bumpy, knobby, and sometimes dark soil along the trails? That’s biological soil crust! Just like a coral reef is formed over time by lots of small organisms living together, soil crust is formed the same way. Moss, lichen, green algae, cyanobacteria (sigh-AN-oh bacteria), and microfungi all work together to hold sand grains in place and create an environment where seeds can grow.

Biological soil crust is extremely slow growing; a single footprint can erase decades of growth. You can help protect biological soil crust by staying on established trails. Don’t bust the crust!

Biological soil crust has gone by many names: cryptogamic soil crust, cryptobiotic soil crust, microbiotic soil crust... The main point is to remember that there's life in these sandy desert soils! Without the growth of these living crusts, the dirt would blow away and there'd be many fewer plants and animals living here.

Potholes

Potholes are naturally occurring basins in sandstone that collect rainwater and wind-blown sediment. These potholes harbor organisms that are able to survive long periods of dehydration, and also serve as a breeding ground for many high desert amphibians and insects. These communities are very vulnerable to human impacts, so it's best not to splash in the puddles here.

Continue Learning

Below are selected articles from parks across the Colorado Plateau that share natural features and ecosystems with Colorado National Monument. Additional monument-specific information can be found through the Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, including a biophysical description of the monument (2004) and a natural resource condition assessment (2016).