The following are significance of desert and desert features
positive significance
- Loess soils are used for agriculture because they are very fertile e.g. in Huang He valley and Ukraine.
- Loess soils in Europe and china have dug in caves which are inhabited during winter to provide warmth.
- Desert features are a tourist attraction e.g. rock pedestals, Yardangs, Zeugen and sand dunes.
- Oasis in deflation hollows are sources of water for domestic use.
- Oasis water is also used for irrigation such as of date palms.
- Deserts are good sites for testing military weapons, military training and experimenting ground for aircraft because they are sparsely populated.
- The scarce vegetation in deserts such as shrubs can be used in livestock keeping e.g. goats, camels etc.
- The hot sun in deserts can be harnessed to provide electricity for lighting, pumping of water, etc.
- Seasonal streams can be dammed to supply water to surrounding areas e.g. Kigombo dam in Mbororo in Taita which supplies water to Voi town.
Negative significance
- Some desert features can prevent physical development e.g. sand dunes can burry roads and it is difficult to construct bridges across wadis.
- Sand dunes can cover oasis and settlements.
- Sand dunes may destroy rich agricultural land.
- High temperatures, shortage of water, unreliable rainfall and lack of transport and communication infrastructure discourage settlement.
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