sierozem

soil

Also known as: gray-earth

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Sierozems are a type of soil found in temperate to cool arid regions with mixed shrub vegetation. These soils are characterized by a brownish-gray surface that becomes lighter in color below, often with a carbonate or hardpan layer.1

Sierozems, also known as gray desert soils, develop in arid subtropics. They are low in humus and organic substances. In areas with irrigation, specific cultivated types of sierozems can form. The formation of any soil, including sierozems, is influenced by factors such as parent material, climate, topography, organisms, and time.23

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Asia
Semidesert and desert
…while gray desert soils (sierozems) develop in the arid subtropics. A great deal of saline soil is present there, and agriculture is possible only with the use of irrigation, which gives rise to specific cultivated types of sierozems.
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…while gray desert soils (sierozems) develop in the arid subtropics. A great deal of saline soil is present there, and agriculture is possible only with the use of irrigation, which gives rise to specific cultivated types of sierozems.
Read More