This article explains the formation and characteristics of different deserts, including the difference between tropical and temperate deserts, how desert ecosystems adapt, and how humans utilize them.
Are all deserts barren wastelands with hot, blowing sandstorms? While some deserts are tropical, there are also temperate deserts that have hot summers and cold winters, such as those found at high elevations or in the interior of continents. In general, deserts are areas that receive less than 250 millimeters of precipitation per year, mostly in low and mid-latitudes. Although deserts are known to be inhospitable environments, they are also home to a wide variety of ecosystems and life forms.
The climate and environmental conditions in deserts are extreme, making it difficult for many organisms to adapt. Temperatures rise dramatically during the day and plummet at night, and the plants and animals that must adapt to these temperature changes have had to develop specialized survival strategies. For example, cacti, a typical desert plant, have thick stems and spiny leaves that can store water to minimize evaporation, and their roots are so wide-spread that they can effectively absorb water even with little rain. Many animals are nocturnal, hiding under the ground during the day and becoming active at night.
Deserts at low latitudes are located along the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Cancer, where the Earth’s atmospheric circulation creates semi-permanent high pressure zones that create hot, dry climates. Tropical deserts such as the Sahara and Arabian Desert, which are located on the Tropic of Cancer, were formed by these factors. These regions have large temperature differences between day and night and direct sunlight, making it very difficult for life to survive. Despite this, specialized plants such as cacti have taken root in the desert, and some animals have different survival strategies, such as hiding under the ground during the day to escape the heat and becoming active at night.
The formation of the Great Salt Lake Desert in the western United States and the Taklamakan Desert in western China, both located in mid-latitudes, is different. The Great Salt Lake Desert was formed when the Sierra Nevada Mountains blocked the movement of moist air from the ocean. This is because moisture-laden air loses moisture as it travels over the high mountain ranges to reach the other side, leaving it dry. The Taklamakan Desert, on the other hand, is not only cut off from the ocean by the Himalayan Mountains, but also by its location in the middle of a continent. The loss of moisture from the air as it moves through the continent’s interior is also a factor in the formation of deserts. As you can see, deserts are formed by factors such as atmospheric circulation, topographic features, and geographic location.
Interestingly, in the arid regions of the Taklamakan Desert and the neighboring Tibetan Plateau, fossils of Neo-Tertiary organisms that lived in tropical wet environments have been found. From this, scientists hypothesize that the region was once a low-lying, wetter area, which may have been affected by tectonic movements. According to conventional tectonic theory, the Himalayas were uplifted when the northward-moving Indian continent collided with the Eurasian continent, and the fossils found on the Tibetan Plateau seemed to fit this theory. Carbon isotope analysis of the fossils, as well as paleomagnetic measurements of the sedimentary strata, led scientists to conclude that the region was uplifted along with the formation of the Himalayas. Thus, the formation of the Taklamakan Desert adjacent to the Tibetan Plateau is fundamentally linked to the tectonic events that led to the formation of the Himalayas.
The deserts of continental Australia have a similar story. After breaking away from Antarctica about 50 million years ago, the Australian continent was driven northward by tectonic movements and ended up at low latitudes near the Southern Tropic of Cancer, which is when desert formation began. During this process, Australia developed its own unique ecosystem, which is home to a wide variety of plants and animals that are hardy in desert environments. The deserts of Australia are home to animals like kangaroos and emus, which have unique physiological traits that allow them to survive in extreme conditions. For example, kangaroos efficiently reabsorb water from their bodies to minimize water loss, and emus travel over large areas in search of food and water.
Deserts are not simply inhospitable wastelands; they are home to life with unique ecosystems and adaptations, and humans have adapted to survive in desert environments. For example, nomadic desert dwellers have traditionally lived in mobile dwellings, constantly on the move in search of water and food, and in modern times, various attempts have been made to transform deserts into green spaces. These efforts are important to preserve desert ecosystems while increasing human survivability. More recently, there have been attempts to turn deserts into centers of energy production through solar power. This is gaining traction as a way to produce sustainable energy by utilizing the desert’s large area and strong sunlight.
The formation of deserts reflects the complex mechanisms of nature, and they play an important role as part of Earth’s diverse climate and ecosystems. Understanding and studying deserts provides important clues to understanding the past, present, and future of our planet, which is crucial for us to protect the environment and build a sustainable future. The study of desert ecosystems is also important from the perspective of climate change and environmental protection, which is directly related to the survival of humanity. Therefore, we need to recognize and protect deserts as important natural resources of the planet, not just wastelands.
