alvar
9.9
A flat area of limestone with little soil and few plants, often in northern Europe
- noun
- Specialized
:
alvar
- Scientists visited the alvar to study its unusual plant species and rocky landscape.
Examples
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In Sweden, you can find vast areas of alvar.
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Many birds nest on the open alvar because of its lack of tall trees.
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The rare orchid thrives in the unique habitat of the alvar.
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The alvar is home to many unique plant species.
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The rare orchid thrives in the unique habitat of the alvar.
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Scientists visited the alvar to study its unusual plant species and rocky landscape.
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Many birds nest on the open alvar because of its lack of tall trees.
Synonyms
plain
vsalvar
176
1.0
A large flat area of land with few trees
is a limestone type with thin soil and sparse plants
Surface Forms
Etymology
Alvar comes from Swedish, where it named the big limestone plains on the island of Öland. So think of a wide, open, stony plain with only a thin layer of soil and few plants, which is exactly what an alvar is: a 'limestone plain' with little soil and few plants.