barrens

British  

/ ˈbærənz /

plural noun

1. (sometimes singular) (in North America) a stretch of usually level land that is sparsely vegetated or barren

---

Example Sentences

In these cases, intense grazing by urchins can strip seafloors of plant life, damaging marine habitats and creating so-called "urchin barrens."

From Science Daily

But when wasting disease in effect wiped out their main predator, the sea urchins exploded in number, decimating kelp forests and transforming once-lush underwater habitats into so-called urchin barrens.

From Los Angeles Times

However, when wasting disease effectively wiped out their main predator, the sea urchins exploded in number, decimating kelp forests and transforming once-lush underwater habitats into so-called “urchin barrens.”

From Los Angeles Times

"A classic example of multiple stressors causing a regime shift is the transition from kelp forests to urchin barrens in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of North America," Meunier said.

From Science Daily

Ninety-five percent of Northern California’s kelp forest has been displaced by sea urchin “barrens” since the West Coast’s marine heat wave in 2014, ’15 and ’16, when water temperature averaged 7 degrees above normal.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• back country
• desert
• forest
• jungle
• outback
• wasteland