Prokop Vantuch Jan 21, 2010:

or
...vegetation adapted to life/living in dry and sandy area...

Prokop Vantuch Jan 21, 2010:

dry and sandy area I'm running out of ideas here :)
Another not-very-space-consuming option:
...protecting vegetation in the dry and sandy area of the abandoned...

Not being botanically super-accurate, but can't think of many "reader-friendlier" expressions. :)

Scott Evan Andrews (asker) Jan 21, 2010:

first apologies to not being more clear what this is - this is text for a travel guide book

secondly I like sand-dwelling, but the problem is suchomily and piskomilny are going to translated side by side forever...and dry-dwelling or arid-loving couldn't possible work beside this...and I've got the PDF for final read right now...clock is ticking...

Prokop Vantuch Jan 21, 2010:

sand-dwelling And how about "sand-dwelling", Scott? Has quite a few relevant google hits. Or do you think it would go with animals only?

Maria Chmelarova Jan 20, 2010:

pískomilný Scott je mi ľúto, 1. otázka je v katg. Science-Biolgy a nie turist guide or turist..?
2. pískomilný je termin, ktorý neznamená že to čo tam rastie alebo žije "miluje" piesok ale preto že sa to prispôsobilo prostrediu, kde je menej vody, piesčitá a porózna pôdy so zvýšeným obsahom Si = kremík, náhle striedanie teplôt atd. Ak to chcete pre širšiu verejnosť a nepísať odborný výraz už aj vhľadom na miesto, tak namiesto sand habitat by bolo vhodné sandy habitat, kde sandy neznamená sand a už vonkomcom nie sand-loving.

Scott Evan Andrews (asker) Jan 20, 2010:

@ Jennifer - last comment - the other thing I'm dealing with here is space - I can't even think about being wordy so the text fits nicely - as Czech is shorter by nature it's quite a challenge.

Scott Evan Andrews (asker) Jan 20, 2010:

audience plays a role @ Maria - there is a big difference between a science book read for learning, and a nice looking guide book designed to get readers to enjoy what they see and read as the pages turn...making them want to visit the given region. I don't shy from proper names of flora/fauna, no, but the question here is really do I want to bore the pants off of the reader or give the average reader the chance to understand what's being conveyed....I think that's fair enough. And it's also fair to say that 85-90% of English native speakers do NOT know what xerophilous is...in Czech it's a bit easier to understand - teplo - milny... same goes for target term.

Jennifer Taylor Jan 20, 2010:

Or of course, you could just write vegetation that thrives in sandy environments or something of that ilk... :)

Maria Chmelarova Jan 20, 2010:

I could used word "loving" too, but if you will check the biology texts you might change your opin. too, esp. if you thinkg psammohpilous is O.K.

Scott Evan Andrews (asker) Jan 20, 2010:

sorry tolerant has nothing to do with it, it regards flourishing or thriving, that that's the habitat just right for them...just being tolerant doesn't describe it.

Scott Evan Andrews (asker) Jan 20, 2010:

I agree Jenn, that's why I pointed that out....

Jennifer Taylor Jan 20, 2010:

Just an opinion... It seems there are plenty of words to be made using -phyte, to get something to do with sand and plants, but as a layperson reading a guidebook, I'd definitely prefer some nice, clear English words.

Scott Evan Andrews (asker) Jan 20, 2010:

why oh why didn't I try Greek? I love Gyros, retsina wine, ...