Typical landscape of the Empty Quarter of the UAE
Sand dunes are lessons in artistry - in how a slight change can modify the external outcome quickly and irreversibly. If we think a ripple pattern to be unique, maybe even exotic, does its beauty exist if no one sees it? (Richard Arnold, former Director, Soil Survey Division, USDA-NRCS)
______________________________
Typic Torripsamments consociation, very high dunes and flats consists of narrow sinuous dune ridges that form linear or roughly rectangular patterns around deflation plains and inland sabkha flats. The dunes have a relative relief of about 80m. Dune formations are variable due to multi-directional winds, and include barchanoid, transverse and star shapes. The star dunes are often higher than the surrounding dunes and form impressive and imposing features in the landscape. A white, gray or red surface veneer of fine to coarse sand and fine gravel occurs on the gentle slopes of the dunes adjacent to the sabkhas and deflation plains.
Small areas of sabkha flat are included within this map unit. The map unit occurs as linear polygons in the south-eastern part of the area adjacent to Oman and Saudi Arabian border. Polygons range in size from 60ha to 94,557ha. The land is used as low density grazing. The map unit has sparse vegetation cover with Cyperus conglomeratus and Zygophyllum spp on the lower slopes of the dunes together with Calligonum comosum on the slopes and slip faces. The map unit forms part of the Cyperetum-Zygophylletum vegetation community.
The soils of this map unit are dominated by Typic Torripsamments, mixed, hyperthermic (85% AD158) in the high dunes. Other soils are Typic Petrogypsids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (5% AD123), Petrogypsic Haplosalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (5% AD143) and Gypsic Haplosalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (5% AD135) that are confined to the deflation flats.
Steep, high dunes are the major constraint to land use in this map unit.
For more information about soil classification using the UAE Keys to Soil Taxonomy, visit:
agrifs.ir/sites/default/files/United%20Arab%20Emirates%20...
Typical landscape of the Empty Quarter of the UAE
Sand dunes are lessons in artistry - in how a slight change can modify the external outcome quickly and irreversibly. If we think a ripple pattern to be unique, maybe even exotic, does its beauty exist if no one sees it? (Richard Arnold, former Director, Soil Survey Division, USDA-NRCS)
______________________________
Typic Torripsamments consociation, very high dunes and flats consists of narrow sinuous dune ridges that form linear or roughly rectangular patterns around deflation plains and inland sabkha flats. The dunes have a relative relief of about 80m. Dune formations are variable due to multi-directional winds, and include barchanoid, transverse and star shapes. The star dunes are often higher than the surrounding dunes and form impressive and imposing features in the landscape. A white, gray or red surface veneer of fine to coarse sand and fine gravel occurs on the gentle slopes of the dunes adjacent to the sabkhas and deflation plains.
Small areas of sabkha flat are included within this map unit. The map unit occurs as linear polygons in the south-eastern part of the area adjacent to Oman and Saudi Arabian border. Polygons range in size from 60ha to 94,557ha. The land is used as low density grazing. The map unit has sparse vegetation cover with Cyperus conglomeratus and Zygophyllum spp on the lower slopes of the dunes together with Calligonum comosum on the slopes and slip faces. The map unit forms part of the Cyperetum-Zygophylletum vegetation community.
The soils of this map unit are dominated by Typic Torripsamments, mixed, hyperthermic (85% AD158) in the high dunes. Other soils are Typic Petrogypsids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (5% AD123), Petrogypsic Haplosalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (5% AD143) and Gypsic Haplosalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (5% AD135) that are confined to the deflation flats.
Steep, high dunes are the major constraint to land use in this map unit.
For more information about soil classification using the UAE Keys to Soil Taxonomy, visit:
agrifs.ir/sites/default/files/United%20Arab%20Emirates%20...