Despite these patterns, precipitation is highly variable both temporally and spatially, further complicating the lives of desert organisms. Annually, or even during a single storm, a given patch of desert may receive significantly more or less water than a neighboring patch less than a mile away. The Canyonlands ecosystem is described as a high desert, characterized by hot summers, cold winters, less than ten inches of rain each year, and low relative humidity. Formed out of the vast sedimentary rock deposits of the Colorado Plateau, the Canyonlands area has been eroded into a network of canyons, mesas and deep river gorges that provides a variety of habitats for animals. From the heavily vegetated riparian areas found in some canyon bottoms, to occasional grasslands bordered by large expanses of slickrock, plant and animal species have developed many communities and use a variety of techniques to endure the extremes of the desert environment.
Cryptobiotic soil is a living groundcover that forms the foundation of high desert plant life.
Potholes are naturally occurring basins in sandstone that collect rainwater and wind-blown sediment. These potholes harbor organisms that are able to survive long periods of dehydration, and also serve as a breeding ground for many high desert amphibians and insects. Both of these communities are very vulnerable to human impacts. Geologic processes have played the most important part in shaping the desert ecosystem of Canyonlands. The arid climate and sparse vegetation allow the exposure of large expanses of bare rock, while the deep canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers reveal 300 million years of geologic history.