Desert soils tend to be sandy or stony, with little organic matter due to the general lack of leafy vegetation. They are dry but can soak up water rapidly after rainfall. Evaporation draws salts to the surface, often leaving a white powder on the ground. These sandy rocky soils are typically around one meter deep, although in some places, wind action builds tall dunes where deeper soils can potentially develop. Sand dunes should not be classified as soils if there is no organic matter present there at all.
Interdependence
The climate, water, soil, plants, animals and humans of the desert ecosystem are interlinked in many ways, such as:
Plants rely upon soils for their nutrients
Soils rely upon plants to provide extra nutrients through dead vegetation and fixing chemicals from the air into the soil
Plants and animals have adapted to the hot desert climate in many ways.
People are dependent upon their animals in deserts, for food, milk and as use as pack animals.
Plants also help soils retain more water, by providing shade from the searing desert sunlight
Plants also tie the soil together, preventing soil erosion and excessive leaching of nutrients in wetter periods
Just as in other biomes, food webs also exist. A hawk might prey upon a desert lizard or snake, which in turn feeds upon rats or insects, which feed upon desert plants such as cacti.