Arid Landscapes
Arid
Landscape Characteristics
- generally angular, with
exposed bedrock
- absence of vegetation;
loose soil
- small, unpredictable,
but heavy rain at times
- intermittent streams
- seeps into ground
with no base flow
- often flow into interior
drainages
- exotic streams - flow
through desert from remote source
Landforms of Arid Fluvial
Erosion
- plateau - dominated by
horizontal layers, low relief (flat), and high elevation
- caprock - resistant
horizontal layers protecting those below
- mesas - flat-topped,
steep-sided table lands
- butte - remnants of
a former mesa
- classic example:
Monument Valley
Death Valley - down-dropped basin, part of the Basin-and-Range terrain
- arroyo (wash) - vertical
walled stream channel prone to flash floods
- badlands - steep slopes
of clay & shale erode away (lack veg. cover)
- alluvial
fans - classic desert depositional feature
- bajadas - adjacent
alluvial fans forming an apron
- piedmont - extensive
alluvial fans all around mountains
- playas - dry lake beds
of interior basins
- playa lakes - season
water lying on playas
- salt flats - result
from evaporated water
- ancient
development and erosion of desert landscapes
