Dryland inquiry activity 14.1 date: course/section: ical stases is desert, including the sonoran deset of southern california and arizona. however, rocky landscapes are typ od mont of the sonoran desert sandy areas like the algedones dune ficld in fig 14.3 are present but limited. this is the location where tr r producers filmed desert scenes of the films planct tatooine a when most people think of dry lands and deerts, they imagine hot sandly landscapes mont of the soustheesters united notice the sand dunes of the algodones dune field in fig. 14.? why do you think there are so few plants growing on the dunes 1. 2. winds in the algodones dune field can reach velocities up to 60 mph. this can create hazardous conditions and the need for maintenance on the canal and inserseate highway 8, what would be the hazard and what maintenance would be needed periodically on the canal and intersate highway 8 as a resualt of the hazard s. this r region is managed by the u. s. burrau of land management as the imperial sand dunes recreation area. portions of the dunes are available for operating off road wehic les. what effect do you think the operation of off-road vehicles here wouald have on plant growth and the hasards you described abene? death valley is along the border between the mojave desert and the great basin desert. analyze the isnage valley region in figs. 148-14.10 the death 1. scep mountainous slopes occur on both the east and west sides of death valley. there is almost no soil or vegetation on the slopes. describe what you think conditions would be like in the bedrock canyons on these mountain slopes when a heavy rain falls on them. 2. notice the alluvial fans and bajadas that form at the base of the bedrock canyons along the mountain fronts in figs. 14.9 and 14.10. explain how you think these landforms were formed 3. notice that there is little, if any, standing water in death valley on a typical day, even though you can sce evidence that water sometimes flows into the valley from the mountains. death valley is a closed basin, meaning that water has no way to drain from it. it is also the hottest and driest place in north america. when there is water on the floor of the valley, it is alkaline to salty and not potable (drinkable). how do you think the water gets so akaline and salty? 4. suppose you could walk down to the white patches on the floor of death valley in fig 14.9 and examine them. predict what materials and conditions you would find there.