24:
513:
features of the landscape, but other research shows that they may last longer than previously thought. Some last over 100 years. Still, a nabkha on an annual plant generally only lasts one season. A nabkha can also be self-limiting if the sand accumulation lifts the plant far enough out of the
389:
A nabkha is variable in size and shape. The typical example is a steep mound with a flat top. The larger nabkhas of the
Chihuahuan Desert reach about 4.3 meters tall by 40 meters wide. The largest known were 10 meters tall and a kilometer long; these large dunes have been called mega-nabkhas.
398:. Sometimes only the tips of the branches of the plant within protrude from the sand, and sometimes the plant is completely engulfed. Nabkhas may join together and form broad, hilly dune fields, or more often, chains and scattered dune patches. The sand composition is also variable.
741:
505:
that can extend roots up to 20 meters deep in the soil, persisting through harsh conditions and eventually building nabkhas up to 8 meters wide. A plant generally cannot hold enough sand to start a nabkha until it is at least 10 centimeters tall.
542:
before they were converted to agriculture, but this conversion accelerated their development and they are a common feature of abandoned farm fields in the region. They are indicators of soil
697:
638:
566:. The dune tends to have more organic material than the surrounding sand, as windblown plant matter accumulates in it and the roots of the plant penetrate it. In degraded and
586:
can have elevated nitrogen levels and other nutrients that other plants can use. The dunes can become islands of plant diversity in otherwise poor habitat.
720:
670:
Vegetation ecology of phytogenic hillocks (nabkhas) in coastal habitats of Jal Az-Zor
National Park, Kuwait: Role of patches and edaphic factors.
694:
635:
933:
850:
538:
spp.) into the habitat. Mesquites rapidly accumulate windblown sand, forming nabkhas. In northern China, nabkhas were present on
695:
Sedimentological and morphological characteristics of some nabkha deposits in the northern coastal plain of Kuwait, Arabia.
801:
Role of host identity in effects of phytogenic mounds on plant assemblages and species richness on coastal arid dunes.
800:
474:
is common. Coastal nabkhas can be eroded by saltwater, and even washed away completely, leaving the plant behind.
777:
669:
23:
70:, but these more accurately refer to similar, but different, sand dune types. Authors have also used the terms
245:
346:
284:
204:
562:
352:
578:, hosting a sheltered site with layers of relatively rich soil in which other plants can grow. Nabkhas on
486:
320:
262:
216:
198:
742:
Nebkha development and its significance to wind erosion and land degradation in semi-arid northern China.
390:
Mega-nabkhas in various places have also been called precipitation ridges, bordering dune ridges, and in
308:
296:
278:
256:
757:
601:
word that has been in use for at least 14 centuries. It translates roughly to "small, sandy hillock".
869:
334:
302:
228:
340:
290:
222:
28:
721:
The morphological characteristics and growth mode of nabkha in the basin of Hotan River, Xinjiang.
575:
471:
423:
579:
376:
181:
169:
153:
268:
210:
106:
701:
642:
527:
325:
250:
851:
Characterization of the aeolian terrain facies in Wadi Araba Desert, southwestern Jordan.
928:
478:
391:
125:
906:
922:
778:
Characteristics of nabkhas in relation to dominant perennial plant species in Kuwait.
498:
439:
358:
314:
149:
907:
Chemical and morphological characteristics of phytogenic mounds (nabkhas) in Kuwait.
116:
Nabkhas are common and occur in many regions. Well known nabkha fields occur in the
407:
382:
105:
In simplest terms, a nabkha is a sand dune that forms around vegetation. It is an
515:
173:
133:
558:
553:. They are home to a variety of animals, including many invertebrates such as
530:. In North America, a characteristic sign of desertification is the spread of
467:
364:
237:
145:
117:
36:
571:
550:
539:
510:
273:
16:
This article is about the desert landform. For the Old
Kingdom pharaoh, see
837:
554:
531:
447:
435:
411:
370:
189:
137:
543:
443:
233:
840:
Arid Lands
Resource Sciences. The University of Arizona. Tucson. 1998.
598:
583:
459:
455:
451:
431:
427:
419:
241:
157:
129:
477:
The type of plant influences the shape of the nabkha; for example,
502:
463:
329:
141:
22:
17:
403:
399:
121:
110:
55:
636:
Nabkha (coppice dune) fields of south-central New Mexico, USA.
567:
526:
Nabkhas are common features in landscapes that are undergoing
168:
Many species of sand-dwelling plants form nabkhas. In the
362:. In central Asia and surrounding areas they occur on
574:desert areas in Kuwait, plants with nabkhas act as
758:Bio-geomorphologic features and growth process of
485:) forms tall, conical or elongated dunes, while
406:pellets can be part of the dune. Nabkhas in the
196:spp.). In China nabkhas form quite often around
109:, a structure built and shaped by the action of
414:. On the Kuwaiti coastline nabkhas form around
896:. University of Oklahoma Press. 1999. pg. 189.
8:
870:Morphology, dynamics, ecology and fauna of
910:Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research
795:
793:
791:
789:
864:
862:
816:
814:
812:
762:nabkhas in Hotan River Basin, Xinjiang.
610:
824:. Taylor & Francis. 1993. pg. 357.
736:
734:
732:
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
616:
614:
493:) forms shorter, semi-circular dunes.
832:
830:
689:
687:
685:
683:
681:
324:are seen in non-saline zones. On the
7:
715:
713:
664:
662:
660:
658:
656:
654:
294:have nabkhas in saline soils, while
868:Hesp, P. and A. McLachlan. (2000).
849:Saqqa, W. and M. Atallah. (2004).
776:Al-Dousari, A. M., et al. (2008).
14:
668:El-Sheikh, M. A., et al. (2010).
509:Some sources describe nabkhas as
765:Journal of Geographical Sciences
799:El‐Bana, M. I., et al. (2007).
693:Khalaf, F. I., et al. (1995).
426:. These dunes are composed of
1:
905:Ahmed, M. M., et al. (2009).
804:Journal of Vegetation Science
248:in Kuwait, they occur around
881:Journal of Arid Environments
745:Journal of Arid Environments
705:Journal of Arid Environments
646:Journal of Arid Environments
58:. Other terms used include
950:
549:Nabkhas develop their own
15:
781:Kuwait Journal of Science
740:Wang, X., et al. (2006).
438:sands mixed with bits of
934:Arabic words and phrases
634:Langford, R. P. (2000).
454:can be found. Traces of
246:Jal Az-Zor National Park
894:Encyclopedia of Deserts
719:Wu, S., et al. (2008).
347:Calligonum polygonoides
285:Halocnemum strobilaceum
872:Arctotheca populifolia
756:Li, Z., et al. (2010)
491:Arctotheca populifolia
263:Haloxylon salicornicum
205:Cleistogenes squarrosa
39:
820:Cooke, R. U., et al.
724:Geographical Research
563:Talochestria capensis
446:grains. Fragments of
353:Stipagrostis scoparia
332:they are recorded on
297:Cyperus conglomeratus
257:Zygophyllum qatarense
26:
822:Desert Geomorphology
335:Artemisia monosperma
321:Citrulus colocynthis
303:Rhanterium epapposum
217:Caragana stenophylla
199:Caragana microphylla
576:ecosystem engineers
341:Moltkiopsis ciliata
309:Astragalus spinosus
291:Salicornia europaea
33:Prosopis glandulosa
700:2014-02-21 at the
641:2014-02-21 at the
279:Tamarix aucheriana
80:shrub-coppice dune
72:phytogenic hillock
40:
186:Larrea tridentata
170:Chihuahuan Desert
134:Hotan River Basin
941:
913:
903:
897:
890:
884:
866:
857:
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834:
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774:
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754:
748:
738:
727:
717:
708:
691:
676:
666:
649:
632:
501:-tolerant woody
269:Panicum turgidum
211:Leymus chinensis
107:aeolian landform
949:
948:
944:
943:
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940:
939:
938:
919:
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835:
828:
819:
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798:
787:
775:
771:
755:
751:
739:
730:
718:
711:
702:Wayback Machine
692:
679:
675:205(12) 832-40.
667:
652:
643:Wayback Machine
633:
612:
607:
592:
580:nitrogen-fixing
528:desertification
524:
479:treasure flower
416:Nitraria retusa
326:Sinai Peninsula
251:Nitraria retusa
166:
21:
12:
11:
5:
947:
945:
937:
936:
931:
921:
920:
915:
914:
898:
885:
876:Gazania rigens
858:
842:
826:
808:
785:
769:
749:
728:
709:
677:
650:
609:
608:
606:
603:
591:
588:
523:
520:
518:that it dies.
483:Gazania rigens
165:
162:
126:Arabian Desert
29:honey mesquite
27:Nabkha around
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
946:
935:
932:
930:
927:
926:
924:
912:27(3) 114-26.
911:
908:
902:
899:
895:
892:Mares, M. A.
889:
886:
883:44(2) 155-72.
882:
879:
878:nabkha dunes.
877:
873:
865:
863:
859:
855:
854:Geomorphology
852:
846:
843:
839:
833:
831:
827:
823:
817:
815:
813:
809:
806:18(5) 635-44.
805:
802:
796:
794:
792:
790:
786:
782:
779:
773:
770:
767:20(2) 205-18.
766:
763:
761:
753:
750:
746:
743:
737:
735:
733:
729:
726:27(2) 314-22.
725:
722:
716:
714:
710:
707:29(3) 267-92.
706:
703:
699:
696:
690:
688:
686:
684:
682:
678:
674:
671:
665:
663:
661:
659:
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547:
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541:
537:
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529:
521:
519:
517:
512:
507:
504:
500:
496:
495:Retama raetam
492:
488:
484:
480:
475:
473:
469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
440:volcanic rock
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
393:
387:
385:
384:
379:
378:
373:
372:
367:
366:
361:
360:
359:Retama raetam
355:
354:
349:
348:
343:
342:
337:
336:
331:
327:
323:
322:
317:
316:
315:Lycium shawii
311:
310:
305:
304:
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298:
293:
292:
287:
286:
281:
280:
275:
271:
270:
265:
264:
259:
258:
253:
252:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
230:
225:
224:
223:Stipa grandis
219:
218:
213:
212:
207:
206:
202:, as well as
201:
200:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
172:they include
171:
163:
161:
159:
155:
152:and adjacent
151:
150:United States
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
114:
112:
108:
103:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
68:hummocky dune
65:
61:
57:
54:is a type of
53:
49:
45:
38:
34:
30:
25:
19:
909:
901:
893:
888:
880:
875:
871:
856:62(1) 63-87.
853:
845:
821:
803:
780:
772:
764:
759:
752:
744:
723:
704:
672:
648:46(1) 25-41.
645:
594:
593:
582:plants like
561:
548:
535:
525:
508:
494:
490:
482:
476:
422:, a form of
415:
410:are rich in
408:Namib Desert
395:
388:
383:Heliotropium
381:
375:
369:
363:
357:
351:
345:
339:
333:
319:
313:
307:
301:
295:
289:
283:
277:
267:
261:
255:
249:
227:
221:
215:
209:
203:
197:
193:
185:
177:
167:
115:
104:
99:
95:
91:
88:dune tumulus
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
64:dune hummock
63:
60:coppice dune
59:
51:
47:
43:
41:
32:
836:Milich, L.
516:water table
487:beach daisy
418:growing on
229:S. glareosa
178:Yucca elata
923:Categories
747:65 129-41.
605:References
551:ecosystems
540:grasslands
468:tourmaline
450:shell and
396:randwallen
365:Calotropis
274:Halophytes
146:New Mexico
118:Lut Desert
76:bush-mound
37:California
590:Etymology
559:sand flea
555:nematodes
532:mesquites
511:ephemeral
386:species.
377:Salvadora
234:tamarisks
164:Structure
154:Chihuahua
84:knob dune
56:sand dune
698:Archived
639:Archived
572:polluted
557:and the
536:Prosopis
499:salinity
472:Dolomite
436:feldspar
424:salt pan
412:sediment
371:Ziziphus
276:such as
194:Atriplex
190:atriplex
182:creosote
174:soaptree
138:Xinjiang
760:Tamarix
584:legumes
546:there.
544:erosion
522:Ecology
470:occur.
452:oolites
448:mollusc
444:calcite
420:sabkhas
232:, plus
188:), and
148:in the
100:takouit
838:Dunes.
783:35(1).
599:Arabic
597:is an
595:Nabkha
466:, and
460:zircon
456:garnet
434:, and
432:gypsum
428:quartz
380:, and
356:, and
318:, and
266:, and
242:alhagi
240:, and
226:, and
158:Mexico
144:, and
132:, the
130:Kuwait
98:, and
92:rebdou
48:nebkha
44:nabkha
929:Dunes
673:Flora
503:shrub
497:is a
464:topaz
392:Dutch
330:Egypt
244:. In
238:reeds
142:China
96:nebbe
52:nebka
35:) in
18:Nebka
874:and
442:and
404:clay
402:and
400:Silt
288:and
122:Iran
111:wind
62:and
568:oil
328:of
180:),
156:in
136:in
128:of
120:of
66:or
50:or
925::
861:^
829:^
811:^
788:^
731:^
712:^
680:^
653:^
613:^
462:,
458:,
430:,
394:,
374:,
368:,
350:,
344:,
338:,
312:,
306:,
300:,
282:,
272:.
260:,
254:,
236:,
220:,
214:,
208:,
160:.
140:,
124:,
113:.
102:.
94:,
90:,
86:,
82:,
78:,
74:,
46:,
42:A
570:-
534:(
489:(
481:(
192:(
184:(
176:(
31:(
20:.
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