This book covers the wider aspects of the microbiology of hot desert soil ecosystems, compiling disparate information from a range of relevant desert soil microbial fields.

The reader learns about microbial ecology of the more dominant and possibly most important desert habitats, detailing the phylogenetic and functional diversity of these different habitats as well as their potential role in desert ecosystem ecology. Particular attention is also given to microbial stress adaptation in hot desert soils. Furthermore, it is the first volume in this particular field to cover modern metagenomics technologies that can be applied to studies of all aspects of desert microbial communities.
Additionally, the book explores viruses and viral communities, which are among the least studied (and little understood) components of desert soil microbial communities. Particular attention is also given to the roles of desert microbial communities in biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogenand phosphorus. Through this book the reader discovers how desert microbiology has been at the forefront of Astrobiology and how it may be used conceptually in future terraforming strategies.

Desert ecosystems are increasingly coming into focus given the impacts of climate change and desertification trends, making this volume particularly timely. Each of the chapters is authored by leading international researchers and is a must-read for microbial ecologists. 

Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction to Hot Desert Environments: Climate, Geomorphology, Habitats and Soils

Chapter 2: Novel methods for studying the structure and function of hot desert microorganisms and their communities
Chapter 3: Phototrophic Mats of the Desert: The Bacteria of the Biological Soil Crust Community- Chapter 4: Microbial Ecology of Hot Desert Soils
Chapter 5: Biology of Desert Endolithic Habitats
Chapter 6: Journey of a thousand miles: The evolution of our understanding of viruses in hot Deserts
Chapter 7: C, N and P nutrient cycling in Drylands
Chapter 8: Diversity and plant growth promoting properties of microbiomes associated with plants in desert soils
Chapter 9: Insights of Extreme Desert Ecology to the Habitats and Habitability of Mars
Chapter 10: Survival under stress: Microbial adaptation in hot desert soils
Chapter 11: The response of soil microbial communities to hydration and desiccation cycles in hot desert ecosystems
Chapter 12: Hot Desert Microbiology: Perspectives in a Warming World.