The Rub' al Khali is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world, encompassing most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula. The desert covers some 650,000 square kilometres including parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It is part of the larger Arabian Desert. One very large pile of sand!!!
The desert is 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) long, and 500 kilometres (310 mi) wide. Its surface elevation varies from 800 metres (2,600 ft) in the southwest to around sea level in the northeast. The terrain is covered with sand dunes with heights up to 250 metres (820 ft), interspersed with gravel and gypsum plains. The sand is of a reddish-orange color due to the presence of feldspar. There are also brackish salt flats in some areas, such as the Umm al Samim area on the desert's eastern edge. Along the middle length of the desert there are a number of raised, hardened areas of calcium carbonate, gypsum, marl, or clay that were once the site of shallow lakes.
These lakes existed during periods from 6,000 to 5,000 years ago and 3,000 to 2,000 years ago. The lakes are thought to have formed as a result of "cataclysmic rainfall" similar to present-day monsoon rains and most probably lasted for only a few years. Evidence suggests that the lakes were home to a variety of flora and fauna. Fossil remains indicate the presence of several animal species, such as hippopotamus, water buffalo, and long-horned cattle. The lakes also contained small snails, ostracods, and when conditions were suitable, freshwater clams. Deposits of calcium carbonate and opal phytoliths indicate the presence of plants and algae.
There is also evidence of human activity dating from 3,000 to 2,000 years ago, including chipped flint tools, but no actual human remains have been found. The region is classified as "hyper-arid", with typical annual rainfall of less than 3 centimetres (1.2 in). Daily maximum temperatures average at 47 °C (117 °F) and can reach as high as 51 °C (124 °F). Fauna includes arachnids (e.g. scorpions) and rodents, while plants live throughout the Empty Quarter. As an ecoregion, the Rub' al Khali falls within the Arabian Desert and East Saharo-Arabian xeric shrublands. The Asiatic cheetahs, once widespread in Saudi Arabia, are regionally extinct from the desert.
Geologically, the Empty Quarter is one of the most oil-rich sites in the world. Vast oil reserves have been discovered underneath the sand dunes.[citation needed] Sheyba, at the northeastern edge of the Rub' al Khali, is a major light crude oil-producing site in Saudi Arabia. Ghawar, the largest oil field in the world, extends southward into the northernmost parts of the Empty Quarter.
For more photos related to soils and landscapes visit:
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Tags: Rub' al Khali John Kelley Empty Quarter Abu Dhabi UAE Explore John A. Kelley John’s Love of Nature Environment Agriculture Soil Soil Science Soil Scientist Soil Survey Soil profile Soil Taxonomy Soil classification Soil sampling Soil correlation Pedologist Pedology USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service USDA-NRCS
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The "Empty Quarter" or the "Rub' al Khali" is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world, encompassing most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula. The desert covers some 650,000 square kilometres including parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It is part of the larger Arabian Desert. One very large pile of sand!!!
The desert is 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) long, and 500 kilometres (310 mi) wide. Its surface elevation varies from 800 metres (2,600 ft) in the southwest to around sea level in the northeast. The terrain is covered with sand dunes with heights up to 250 metres (820 ft), interspersed with gravel and gypsum plains. The sand is of a reddish-orange color due to the presence of feldspar. There are also brackish salt flats in some areas, such as the Umm al Samim area on the desert's eastern edge. Along the middle length of the desert there are a number of raised, hardened areas of calcium carbonate, gypsum, marl, or clay that were once the site of shallow lakes.
These lakes existed during periods from 6,000 to 5,000 years ago and 3,000 to 2,000 years ago. The lakes are thought to have formed as a result of "cataclysmic rainfall" similar to present-day monsoon rains and most probably lasted for only a few years. Evidence suggests that the lakes were home to a variety of flora and fauna. Fossil remains indicate the presence of several animal species, such as hippopotamus, water buffalo, and long-horned cattle. The lakes also contained small snails, ostracods, and when conditions were suitable, freshwater clams. Deposits of calcium carbonate and opal phytoliths indicate the presence of plants and algae.
There is also evidence of human activity dating from 3,000 to 2,000 years ago, including chipped flint tools, but no actual human remains have been found. The region is classified as "hyper-arid", with typical annual rainfall of less than 3 centimetres (1.2 in). Daily maximum temperatures average at 47 °C (117 °F) and can reach as high as 51 °C (124 °F). Fauna includes arachnids (e.g. scorpions) and rodents, while plants live throughout the Empty Quarter. As an ecoregion, the Rub' al Khali falls within the Arabian Desert and East Saharo-Arabian xeric shrublands. The Asiatic cheetahs, once widespread in Saudi Arabia, are regionally extinct from the desert.
Geologically, the Empty Quarter is one of the most oil-rich sites in the world. Vast oil reserves have been discovered underneath the sand dunes. Sheyba, at the northeastern edge of the Rub' al Khali, is a major light crude oil-producing site in Saudi Arabia. Ghawar, the largest oil field in the world, extends southward into the northernmost parts of the Empty Quarter.
For more photos related to soils and landscapes visit:
www.flickr.com/photos/soilscience/sets/72157622983226139/
Tags: Empty Quarter Rub' al Khali Abu Dhabi UAE desert Fantastic Nature John Kelley Canon 50D EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
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"As responsible scientists and technicians the members of the soil survey have a responsibility to explain their information, how it was obtained, what it seems to mean, and how good or how uncertain the information may be. Without such a responsibility to the customers, the public, and to science there would not be the keen sense of pride and accomplishment of being professionals." (Dr. Richard W. Arnold, Director, Soil Survey Division, USDA-NRCS; 1980 to 1996)
Soils are the basis of life and the foundation for agriculture. (Genesis 2:7: Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.)
Yet, during the past few decades, focus on the importance of soils has diminished, coupled with harsh man-made and natural conditions that have resulted in soil erosion and soil nutrient depletion. Without vibrant and healthy soil, plants and animals cannot flourish. Therefore, it is vital that we have a deep understanding of soil so we may conserve and protect this very valuable natural resource.
The word “soil,” like many common words, has several meanings. In its traditional meaning, soil is the natural medium for the growth of land plants, whether or not it has discernible soil horizons. This meaning is still the common understanding of the word, and the greatest interest in soil is centered on this meaning. Soil covers the earth’s surface as a continuum, except on bare rock, in areas of perpetual frost or deep water, or on the bare ice of glaciers. In this sense, soil has a thickness that is determined by the rooting depth of plants.
The soils images provided at this website offer a unique perspective of the world underfoot. They are designed to be used by students, naturalists, scientists, or anyone seeking a better understanding of the natural world in which we live. In general, the images and accompanied information are an overview of the contemporary process of describing, classifying, and correlating soils. These materials will assist the reader to increase their knowledge about soil as a natural, evolving feature of the earth’s surface and its critical role in sustaining life.
Many of the images were photographed over a 35-year career as a soil scientist with USDA-NRCS and as an international soil consultant. Others were downloaded from various web-based articles, publications, photo albums, etc. Where known, the images have been sourced, cited, or credited to the original author or photographer and a link provided to the original and related sites. Otherwise, it may be assumed they have been provided by USDA-NRCS (SCS) staff. Please keep in mind, over time links may be broken as web sites are changed or files deleted or moved.
In order to make comparison easier, they have been revised to a standard size and format. Soil profiles may have been edited to remove extraneous objects such as tools, scales, markers, cross shadows, etc. or to clarify features. If the image is of a soil or landscape outside the U.S., the standard ISO two-digit country code has been provided. (i.e., AU indicating Australia)
If you would like a copy of an image(s), they may be downloaded via the Flicker download feature in various resolutions including the original size (5x7 inch @ 500 ppi for pedons). Request for permission to use individual image(s) is not required; however, if used, please cite the original source or photographer (e.g., Photo courtesy of John Kelley, USDA-NRCS or Photo by USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Photo source unknown.)
If a photo from this site is used in a publication, on a web site, or as part of any other project, please use the provided photo credit. This photo may not be used to infer or imply USDA-NRCS endorsement of any product, company, or position. Please do not distort the image the photo portrays.
The contributions to this site from the original authors and photographers are greatly appreciated. Comments, suggestions, or contributions can be made by contact through FlickrMail or…
bettmark.john@gmail.com
To view a list of individual albums, click HERE
John A. Kelley
Soil Scientist, Retired
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Soil and Plant Science Division
President, Bettmark, Inc.
Raleigh, NC USA 27613
To view Research Gate profile/research click HERE
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Tags: John Kelley John A. Kelley John’s Love of Nature Environment Agriculture USDA-NRCS Soil Soil Science Soil Survey Soil profile Soil classification Soil correlation Pedology Soil series Soil color soils soil taxa Soil Taxonomy U.S. Soil Taxonomy WRB World Reference Base Soil structure Soil ped Soil texture Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils National Soil Survey Handbook NSSH Soil Survey Manual SSM
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One of the most photographed places in the U.S., Mormon Row is a line of homestead complexes along the Jackson-Moran Road near the southeast corner of Grand Teton National Park, in the valley called Jackson Hole. Six building clusters and a separate ruin illustrate Mormon settlement in the area and comprise such features as drainage systems, barns, fields and corrals.
The area is also known as Antelope Flats, situated between the towns of Moose and Kelly. It is a popular destination for tourists and photographers on account of the historic buildings, the herds of bison, and the spectacular Teton Range rising in the background. The alluvial soil to the east of Blacktail Butte was more suitable than most locations in Jackson Hole for farming, somewhat hampered by a lack of readily available water.
It is along the base of the Teton Range--a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is mostly on the Wyoming side of that state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the east slope of the range is in Grand Teton National Park. Between six and nine million years ago, stretching and thinning of the Earth's crust caused movement along the Teton fault. The west block along the fault line rose to form the Teton Range, creating the youngest range of the Rocky Mountains.
Tags: Moulton Barn Mormon Row John Kelley John A. Kelley John’s Love of Nature Environment Agriculture
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The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At 1,078 miles long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Rising in western Wyoming, the river flows through the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho, then through the rugged Hells Canyon area via northeastern Oregon and the rolling Palouse Hills, to reach its mouth near the Washington Tri-Cities area, where it enters the Columbia. Its drainage basin encompasses parts of six U.S. states.
Tags: Snake River John Kelley Grand Tetons John’s Love of Nature Canon 50D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
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