You’re wrong about the soil nutrient content in deserts. Or at least it’s not a blanket statement like that since some deserts are essential in providing soil nutrients to other parts of the world through wind.
Oh the nutrients are there, the composition of the soil is what is lacking so those nutrients don’t infiltrate into water well so plants can’t access them. It’s mostly sand and clay, lacking in silts for proper loams and organic matter.
Also there’s usually a ton of salt in desert sand that doesn’t help.
The sheer volume of water that moves through even a small creek is shockingly massive.
The amount of water held in an aquifer is astounding.
The soils required for agriculture and general growing plants (ones that hold water and nutriet) specifically are lacking or depleted in deserts.
So… it’s a literal pipe dream.
Aquifers! Aquifers all over the land!
You’re wrong about the soil nutrient content in deserts. Or at least it’s not a blanket statement like that since some deserts are essential in providing soil nutrients to other parts of the world through wind.
Deserts can have lots of minerals and the sand/dust is carried on the wind. Theses are important but the desert won’t be high in nitrogen and carbon.
Oh the nutrients are there, the composition of the soil is what is lacking so those nutrients don’t infiltrate into water well so plants can’t access them. It’s mostly sand and clay, lacking in silts for proper loams and organic matter.
Also there’s usually a ton of salt in desert sand that doesn’t help.