Desert Dune Sand and its Potential for Modern Agricultural Development

Abstract

Active sand dunes occur in several large sand seas (ergs) that cover an area of about 4 000 000 km2 in the big deserts of the Sahara, Arabia, Asia, South Africa and Australia (Figure 1). Other areas of the same deserts, about 2 000 000 km2 in all, are covered by fixed sand (Wilson, 1973). These vast areas are the largest potential reserves of soil for agriculture for the overpopulated world.