Desert plants — and the desert floor itself — are key fighters of climate change

The so-called ‘barren’ lands of the Mojave actually play an important role in keeping carbon out of the atmosphere. Scientists have been surprised to find that deserts, like other ecosystems, function as a carbon sink. This means the Mojave Desert and all the world’s arid lands play a key role in the carbon cycle and carbon uptake — and that preserving them is of high importance as the climate crisis continues. But wait: How does a landscape that seems so empty keep carbon?