Desert Erosion

• Deserts are naturally dry environments.desert image by Balogh Eniko from Fotolia.com
  
  When you think of a desert, you might think of a place that has large hills of sand, with barely a plant in sight, aside from the oases. While some deserts look like this, other deserts are cold and some do grow a number of plants like cacti. In the desert, the wind gradually erodes rocks until they become sand. Then the wind moves the sand from place to place. This type of erosion is called aeolian erosion.
  
  

Desertification

• Gradually, land without plants can become new desert sand.desert image by Wojciech Karpinski from Fotolia.com
  
  In dry areas, plants can struggle to get by on the little water that is available. Some plants like the creosote bush or the mesquites have deep tap roots that allow them to use groundwater to survive. Succulents have thick, waxy coatings that allow them to keep almost all of the water they collect during sporadic rainfall. When these plants are removed due to grazing or industrial development or when they die because the groundwater supply falls, the soil is exposed and the area can turn into a desert.
  
  

Desert Plants Hold Soil With Their Roots

• Tough, scrubby desert plants hold soil with their roots.desert image by Carol Tomalty from Fotolia.com
  
  Plants hold onto soil with their roots. In effect, the roots make a net just under the soil. When you spread netting or landscape cloth just under the soil around your home, you prevent the soil from moving away. The same thing happens with desert plants. Adding more hardy plants means that the soil will not drift as much when it is windy. Removing plants leads to desertification and additional erosion.
  
  

Desert Plants Block Soil Movement

• Desert plants block soil during shifting sands and storms.dune et ciel sombre image by Freddy Smeets from Fotolia.com
  
  The stems and leaves of desert plants also prevent the soil from moving. Large cacti create a windbreak, and even the hundreds of smaller plants slow down the movement of wind and the occasional rain. The stems and leaves of these plants provide erosion control.
  
  

Identification of Erosion Control Plants

• Ideal plants for deserts are adapted to hot, dry conditions.desert plants image by Carol Tomalty from Fotolia.com
  
  If you live in a desert and need plants to provide a windbreak or erosion control, look for hardy plants that are native to your area. Do not choose exotics that require heavy watering, because these plants will just deplete the water supply. Instead, rely on xeriscaping, landscaping that is sensitive to the water needs in the areas. Choose local succulents, cacti, and plants with waxy leaves and low water needs. Choose plants that also have net-like roots or go dormant during the hottest months of the year. These plants will provide erosion control and be easy to maintain in a desert environment.