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There is very little topsoil in deserts; in fact, one millimeter of topsoil can take hundreds of years to form in a desert. The plant life in deserts evolved through selection to be less reliant on water and are therefore very slow to grow. Little plant life, little decay due to low moisture, and extremely slow growth rates could account for the low content of organic matter in desert soils.
Jaunita Hand
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoThere is very little topsoil in deserts; in fact, one millimeter of topsoil can take hundreds of years to form in a desert. The plant life in deserts evolved through selection to be less reliant on water and are therefore very slow to grow. Little plant life, little decay due to low moisture, and extremely slow growth rates could account for the low content of organic matter in desert soils.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoOrganic matter in soil comes from debris left by plants and animals - dead leaves, sticks, flowers, etc. As the desert has few plants, there is little debris to build up the organic material in soils.
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What is an aridisol?
An aridisol is a form of soil which dominates deserts and xeric shrublands, with a very low concentration of organic matter and very little water.
Why are deserts so low in organic matter?
There are not enough plants
What type of soil is in a rainforest?
High in decomposing organic matter, low in nutrients.
Why are desert soils low in organic material?
Organic mater in soil comes primarily from plants - dead leaves, stems, roots, etc. Since deserts do not have a high population of plants, there is little organic material added to the soil.
Why are desert soils so low in organic matter?
Soils get their organic material from the plants that live, or have lived, in them. Deserts have few plants to provide this material.
Causes of soil erosion?
1) poor internal drainage 2) loss of soil structure. 3) low organic matter.
What does red and yellow colors in a soil horizon usually indicates?
It indicates an abundance of Iron oxide in the soil and also indicates low organic matter.
Why is germination low in soils that contain high amount of partially decomposed organic matter?
germination is low because microbes are active in decomposing the soil
What kind of soil goes best with most cacti?
Sandy soil without water logging and good drainage, with low organic content goes best with cacti. Sandy soil without water logging and good drainage, with low organic content goes best with cacti. Sandy soil without water logging and good drainage, with low organic content goes best with cacti.
Which layer of soil is high in organic material but relatively low in minerals?
Topsoil.
Why are are desert soils low on organic matter?
There are few plants in the desert to provide the organic material.
Why hot and cold deserts are sparsely populated?
Deserts are dry, no matter hot or cold. It is the lack of water that keeps population low.
