Deserts are one of the major landforms on the Earth. While deserts occupy about one-fifth of Earth’s land surface, they have been studied to a much lesser extent. All over the world, desert landforms are expanding ever rapidly and more and more human settlements are finding place in desert regions for habitation. Thus, quantifying and monitoring dunes becomes more relevant from a managerial per...

Coastal sand dunes are extremely dynamic ecosystems, characterized by stark ecological succession gradients. Dune stabilization is mainly attributed to plant growth, but the establishment and survival of dune-inhabiting vegetation is closely linked to soil microorganisms and to the ecological functions they fulfill. Fungi are particularly important in this context, as some interact intimately w...

ion, afforestation, urbanisation (Grootjans et al. 1998; Martinez et al., 2004; Provoost 106 et al., 2011), nitrogen deposition (Jones et al., 2004; Plassmann et al., 2008; Sival and 107 Strijkstra-Kalk, 1999) and from grass and scrub encroachment or exotic species invasion 108 (Martinez et al., 2004). In addition, changes in evapotranspiration due to vegetation change or 109 management will af...

Apollo-Soyuz photographs of the Monte Desert in southeastern San Juan, Argentina, were used for a reconnaissance survey of large-scale desert landforms. The Apollo-Soyuz color photographs were helpful in distinguishing lineaments and probable faults, drainage patterns, rock types, and soil-tonal variations. These photographs were especially useful in studying the distribution of sand deposits a...