Desert sands support desert habitat on Strzelecki Desert sandhills abutting Cooper Creek floodplain at Kings Marker, Innamincka Regional Reserve, South Australia.

Description:               yellow sand
Location:                     sandhills of the Strzelecki Desert, here adjacent to the south side of Coopers Creek, at Kings Marker Camping Ground, in Innamincka Regional Reserve

Values for  these sandy desert soils:
loose sand allows roots to penetrate deep looking for moisture to enable desert plants (grasses and trees) to grow
– Produces enough vegetation to support grazing
– habitat for desert wildlife
– shade for tourists and residents
– photography and walking for recreation of tourists

Challenges for sands in a desert environment
– prone to wind erosion
– evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation – av. precipitation 12.5 cm p.a , av.evaporation 380 cm p.a
– damage possible to limited vegetation cover protecting sands from tourists and  4WD vehicles.

Managed as a nature reserve where
– Natural events and processes take place
– Removal of plants is not allowed
– Stock grazing does not take place in this reserve.
– Access roads closed after rain.

See more at
Explore Australia camping website for Kings Marker camping in the Outback of South Australia
Friends of Innamincka Reserve facebook page  and in LN post
Visit the Calalloo Creek Soil Selfies, in Outback New South Wales, Austalia, for a sandy soil which is able to grow large River Red Gum trees.

Credits: Jeanie Clark, of Warracknabeal, gives permission for her photos and information to be used under a (cc) license 2015.  Page created by Jeanie Clark, enviroed4all®, Warracknabeal, for use in education under a (cc) licence 2015

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page setup 10 September 2015, Updated 9 January 2016