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Article: Desert and Desertification
- Article from:
- World of Earth Science
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Desert and desertification
Areas that receive less than 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain a year are generally classified as deserts. Dry (arid) regions are usually found in
area
of high pressure (subtropical highs, leeward sides of mountains, etc.) associated with descending divergent air masses that are common between 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S
latitude
.
As a consequence of low moisture, desert vegetation is sparse and specifically adapted to conserve
water
. Deserts are areas of high
relief
(e.g., mesas, buttes, etc). Desert regions typically feature well-sorted sands, often found in various dune formations shaped by
sand
type, moisture content, and eoilian processes.
In desert ...