Desert algae weave a "desert skin"

Date: 2026-06-29

How can shifting sand be held in place? The answer lies in a living layer of "desert skin".

At a demonstration zone on the southern edge of the Hunshandake and Horqin sandy lands, desert algae cultivated by researchers are forming biological soil crusts over the sand surface. Though tiny, these algae are key to restoration: they secrete sticky substances that bind sand grains together, while their filaments weave through the sand layers, gradually creating a protective cover that locks loose sand, retains moisture and provides a more stable micro-environment for grasses, shrubs and trees.

Meanwhile, supported by both traditional sand-control measures and digital monitoring, the project's first phase had treated roughly 15,500 hectares of sandy land by the end of 2025, with seedling survival rates above 85 percent. In the desert algae trial area, vegetation coverage rose from less than 50 percent to 66.3 percent.

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By China Three Gorges Corporation

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