It’s not—lots of encysting macroinvertebrates there, some of them probably endemic. Nothing too charismatic to the average human, I suppose, but it’s not nearly as lifeless as it looks—and their seasonal population booms are important to migratory fauna that pass through each year, such as birds. The ecology there responds to seasonal flooding, so if you’ve only gone during Burning Man, appearances will be deceiving.
It’s not—lots of encysting macroinvertebrates there, some of them probably endemic. Nothing too charismatic to the average human, I suppose, but it’s not nearly as lifeless as it looks—and their seasonal population booms are important to migratory fauna that pass through each year, such as birds. The ecology there responds to seasonal flooding, so if you’ve only gone during Burning Man, appearances will be deceiving.
How do they tolerate the alkaline pH?
One part periodic diapause (aestivation in response to hostile conditions), one part biochemistry being more flexible than you probably think.