The rate of dust fallout was monitored during a period from August 2009 to July 2011 in protected (closed) and non-protected/open (unenclosed) areas in the northern desert of Kuwait. The dust fallout rates on degraded and protected sites were on average 18.8 and 44.1 g·m −2 ·month −1 , respectively. Higher rate of dust fallout in protected area may be attributed to biologic factors that are responsible for relative abundance of fine-grained sediment accumulations (Mostly silty sand). Wind

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... ion of fine grained sediment fractions and development of coarse-grained surface lag deposits in degraded area may be accountable for the reduction of its potentiality for suspended dust. The study indicates the importance of the vegetation cover in regulating sediment availability for atmospheric dust emission. Keywords Dust Fallout, Vegetation Cover, Degraded Area, Wind Deflation * Corresponding author. J. M. Al-Awadhi et al. 438 112 g·m −2 . Many studies have been focused on dust entrainment, transport, deposition, and accumulation in arid and semi-arid environments where the potential for aeolian entrainment and suspension of fine grained sediment is enhanced by low moisture availability and sparse vegetation cover [5] . However, entrainment and deposition of locally-derived dust in these environments are mostly controlled by prevailing magnitude of aridity, wind climate and availability of source sediments [6] [7] . Aeolian dust fallout influences surficial and ecological processes in desert regions, where it plays important roles in soil formation, soil hydrology, distribution of biologic soil crusts, and nutrient status (e.g., [8]-[19]). Suspended dust is derived from anthropogenic, natural and biogenic sources [20] . Windblown dust from natural sources is estimated to account for 89% of the global aerosol load [21] . The nature of surface cover and the magnitude of anthropogenic activities may play a significant role in the occurrence of suspended dust and eventually the rate of dust fallout. The present paper aims at the assessment of the impact of land degradation, which particularly results from anthropogenic activities, on the rate of dust fallout in the desert of Kuwait. The granulometric characteristics of the dust fallout are also discussed.