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Willcox Playa

Ecoregion in Chihuahuan Desert, AZ

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The only large Madrean playa area, Willcox Playa is located in the north-central portion of the Sulphur Springs Valley, a remnant of the pluvial Lake Cochise. Shallow ephemeral ponds form after heavy rains. During dry periods, the playa is known for its large dust devils and dust storms. The organic-rich clays and muds beneath the surface reveal an important fossil pollen record of the pluvial periods of the Pleistocene. Some sand dunes occur on the margins. It is mostly barren or only sparsely vegetated, typically with alkali sacaton and saltgrass. Willcox Playa provides important habitat for migratory waterfowl, sandhill cranes, raptors, and songbirds, and it contains the greatest diversity of tiger beetles in the United States.

— EPA

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