Biological soil crusts are prominent in many drylands and can be found in diverse parts of the globe including the Atacama desert, Chile, the Namib desert, Namibia, the Succulent-Karoo desert, South Africa, and the Negev desert, Israel. Because precipitation can be negligible in deserts - the Atacama desert being almost rain-free - or restricted to infrequent rains during short rainfall seasons, atmospheric moisture in the form of dew and/or fog can be a major, regular supplier of water for cryptogams.