desert pavement
A tightly interlocking surface layer of flat stones and pebbles covering the desert floor, fitted together like tiles over centuries by the action of wind, rain, and frost. Desert pavement protects the fine soil beneath from further erosion — remove the stones and the surface deflates, the soil blows away, and the landscape is permanently altered. Intaglios and geoglyphs are made by scraping through this armored surface to expose the lighter soil below. Tire tracks across desert pavement can remain visible for decades.
Etymology
Descriptive English compound — the desert paves itself. The stones are the pavement.
Notes
Desert varnish — the dark, lustrous coating on exposed rock surfaces — often forms on the stones of desert pavement, giving it a polished, ancient look.
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