The difference is the intensity to which the processes act. Weathering and Mass Wasting Deserts have little soil because moisture is so low and the rate of chemical weathering is slow. Little plant life because of lack of soils and water. Plants tend to hold soil and fine-grained rock fragments in place. The desert surface is dominated by mechanical weathering processes.
Surface waters are rare in deserts.
Streams that do flow in deserts usually originate at higher elevations and supply enough water for the stream to pass through the desert region. Streams in deserts tend to be intermittent, that is they flow only during rains. For this reason, flash floods and braided streams are common. When a linear mountain range has several closely spaced valleys, the alluvial fans may coalesce to form a gentle undulated slope on the sides of the bounding lowlands. Such coalesced alluvial fans are known as Bajadas .