desert soil
noun
: a soil that develops under sparse shrub vegetation in warm to cool arid climates with a light-colored surface soil usually underlain by calcareous material and a hardpan layer
Examples of desert soil in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While some of the largest installations do take 500 or more acres of desert soil, a more typical size in Arizona is about 262 acres, according to LandGate, a data provider for renewables projects.
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Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2024
The cyanobacteria form sticky filaments that act like glue in sandy desert soil, creating a clumpy, crusty surface where fungi and other bacteria take hold.
—Jude Coleman, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2024
Globe According to the city's website, there's a local legend about the origin of the name that, once more, revolves around precious metals hiding beneath the desert soil.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 8 Aug. 2024
After a fire, cheatgrass sprouts quickly, hoarding the small amount of water available in the desert soil and preventing slower-growing native plants from getting the hydration needed to sprout.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 23 May 2024
The parched desert soil couldn’t absorb the excessive rainfall fast enough, which triggered flash flooding.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN, 25 Oct. 2023
Arizona’s highways funnel rainfall into ditches and thus soften desert soils for pocket gophers, whose tunnels parallel the shoulder like subway lines.
—Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
In fact, desert soil will be added to the concrete mix used for construction so that the structures mimic the color and texture of a traditional abode.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2023
Biocrust restoration recovers and accelerates the growth of microbial communities that are naturally present in desert soils, and creates a living layer that protects soil from wind erosion.
—The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2023
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Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2024
The cyanobacteria form sticky filaments that act like glue in sandy desert soil, creating a clumpy, crusty surface where fungi and other bacteria take hold.
—Jude Coleman, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2024
Globe According to the city's website, there's a local legend about the origin of the name that, once more, revolves around precious metals hiding beneath the desert soil.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 8 Aug. 2024
After a fire, cheatgrass sprouts quickly, hoarding the small amount of water available in the desert soil and preventing slower-growing native plants from getting the hydration needed to sprout.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 23 May 2024
The parched desert soil couldn’t absorb the excessive rainfall fast enough, which triggered flash flooding.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN, 25 Oct. 2023
Arizona’s highways funnel rainfall into ditches and thus soften desert soils for pocket gophers, whose tunnels parallel the shoulder like subway lines.
—Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
In fact, desert soil will be added to the concrete mix used for construction so that the structures mimic the color and texture of a traditional abode.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2023
Biocrust restoration recovers and accelerates the growth of microbial communities that are naturally present in desert soils, and creates a living layer that protects soil from wind erosion.
—The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Desert soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desert%20soil. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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