dryland

American  

[drahy-land] / ˈdraɪˌlænd /

noun

1. Often drylands. a tract of land having dry, often sandy soil, as on the floor of a valley.

   Acres of the drylands have been reclaimed by irrigation.

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Etymology

Origin of dryland

1175–1225; Middle English. See dry, -land

Example Sentences

A lot of my research has been on dryland birds in New Mexico, many of which have drab gray or brown plumage.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2025

Oases are important habitats and water sources for dryland regions, sustaining 10% of the world's population despite taking up about 1.5% of land area.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2024

“You cannot put a sand dam anywhere,” said Keziah Ngugi, lead author of the study and a hydrologist with interest in dryland areas.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 24, 2024

She notes it’s not necessarily surprising, however, given the growing recognition of the protective effects of biocrusts: These webs of growth are known to help stabilize dryland ecosystems and prevent soil erosion.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 7, 2023

Inhabitants of those islands developed intensive dryland agriculture requiring a heavy input of labor to build terraces, carry out mulching, rotate crops, reduce or eliminate fallow periods, and maintain tree plantations.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond