Arabian Desert v/s Desertification, who will win?
The biggest geographic biotic unit and sometimes known as a major life zone, a biome is a huge community of plants and animals that share comparable life forms and environmental conditions. Aquatic, Grassland, Forest, Desert, and Tundra are the primary 5 types of biomes. But, we would be focusing on the desert biome, specifically how Desertification has affected life in the Arabian Desert.
Desert Biome
Deserts are dry regions with fewer than 50 cm (20 inches) of annual rainfall. They occupy about 20% of the Earth’s surface. Deserts do not have as much biodiversity as other biomes due to their harsh circumstances. Any plants and animals that live in deserts must have unique adaptations to the dry climate. Reptiles and tiny mammals make up the majority of the biodiversity in the desert. According to their geographic location or climatic circumstances, deserts can be divided into four groups: hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. The temperature can reach as high as 100°F and as low as 25°F.
The Arabian Desert
The Arabian Desert is a vast desert area that spans practically the whole Arabian Peninsula and is located in extreme southwest Asia. At nearly 900,000 square miles, it is the continent’s largest desert region. It is the host to a great variety of desert flora and fauna. A few examples include mustard, pea, daisy, iris, camels, beetles, caterpillars and many more. Since the early Pleistocene, humans have lived in the Arabian Desert for millions of years. Bedouin is the name given to tribes that inhabit the Arabian Desert. They have raised camels, Arabian horses, and sheep as a form of adaptation to their nomadic existence. In addition to that, they have also raised crops and date palms. Additionally, nomads and the residents in settlements engaged in religious rites. The Map of The Arabian Desert
Flora
The Arabian Desert is the host to a great variety of Flora. There are usually two types of plants found in the Arabian Desert: xerophytic (adapted to limited water supply) and halophytic (salt-tolerant). Another characteristic that can be found in the majority of Arabian plants is long roots, short spiny shoots, and fleshy, or needle-like leaves; all of these help plants adapt to the harsh conditions of the Arabian Desert. Flora includes dates, capers, junipers, acacia trees, ghaf trees and orache. Winter and the brief spring are when plants grow and reproduce the most. When pollinators are busier in the morning, flowers often bloom, and they usually close by midday. The Arabian Flora is composed of three main strategies of survival: ephemerals, succulent and woody perennials; lasting or existing for a long or infinite time; enduring or continually recurring.
When conditions are favourable, ephemerals develop quickly, produce a lot of seeds that can withstand drought, and then perish.
Extensive lateral root systems, water storage cells, thickening epidermis, and waxy or hairy
coats have all evolved in succulent perennials. To minimize transpiration, the majority of these plants have diminished or concealed stomata that only open at night.
Woody perennials often have few, if any, leaf surfaces and deep root systems to access subterranean water sources. Some people have adapted to take advantage of dense cool-season fogs.
Fauna
In the Arabian Desert, we can find a great variety of unique fauna like camels, meerkats, oryx and sand cats. There are several strategies that animals use to adapt to the desert environment. Desert animals like antelope squirrels, gophers, badgers and coyotes survive in deserts by living underground or resting in burrows during the day to avoid the heat. The sand there is much cooler than being out. A few animals get the moisture they need from the food, so they don’t have to drink water.
Other morphological modifications achieved by desert animals include the absence of sweat glands and the concentration of urine. Some desert animals like camels have a particular physical adaptation that involves storing fat in their humps or tails rather than across their entire bodies since fat increases body heat. They can regulate their body temperatures, preventing them from overheating during the day and getting too cold at night, due to the fatty deposits in their hump.
Bedouin
Bedouins are Arabic-speaking nomadic people of the Middle Eastern deserts. The majority of Bedouins are herders of animals that migrate to the desert during the wet winter and return during the dry summer; one of their adaptation strategies. There are several ways to classify bedouins. Their classification depends on the animals they breed. For example, there are camel nomads who breed camels and occupy a huge part of the desert. Then there are small bedouin tribes like sheep and goat nomads. Bedouins have overcome several problems in terms of food, travel, climate and disasters.
Bedouins developed large tents that can easily dismantle, erect and transport for longer journeys. In case of harsh weather, they cover their body to prevent sunburn etc. In addition, bedouins cover their faces during sand storms. For navigation Bedouins use dunes instead of compasses. Another common problem that bedouins have adapted to is the lack of water in the middle of the desert. So, they have to carry tons of water they found from the edge of the lake near salt lakes or in the middle of deep dune valleys.
Opportunities in the Arabian Desert
Arabian deserts have several opportunities for development such as mining, energy production, farming and tourism.
Mining: The Arabian Desert contain significant mineral reserves, including petroleum, aluminium, copper and phosphate. These minerals are significant because they are used in a variety of products such as jewellery and transportation. Gold and Sulphur are also precious minerals found in the Arabian Desert.
Energy Production: Solar panels are used in the Arabian Desert to generate electricity. Using this energy, salt-tainted water supplies are cleaned (desalination). Through the utilization of a wind farm, wind energy is also employed to produce electricity.
Farming: The Arabian Desert’s drip irrigation system has made commercial arable farming possible. Numerous employment has been established and the local economy has benefited from the production of crops like wheat and dates.
Tourism: Today, travelling through the Arabian Desert is simple and rapid. Automobiles now rumble across desert landscapes in place of the sluggish camel caravan. The railroad travels the short distance from Al-Dammm on the Persian Gulf to Riyadh in a few hours while jets soar overhead.
Desertification and its impact
Desertification is the turning of land into desert and is one of the major issues faced in arid and semi-arid regions. It is a real issue in both grassland and desert regions.
There are several factors affecting life in the Arabian desert-like global warming, rising temperatures, increased deforestation and dwindling rainfall. Other issues include anthropogenic actions and overgrazing by wild animals and livestock.
There are several consequences of Desertification on the biodiversity of the Arabian Deserts.
- Loss of biodiversity by worsening the living conditions of many species.
- Food insecurity due to crop failure or reduced yields.
- The loss of vegetation cover and therefore of food for livestock and humans.
- Increased risk of zoonotic diseases, such as COVID-19.
- Loss of forest cover, with a corresponding shortage of wood resources.
- The decrease in drinking water reserves is due to the loss of aquifers.
Why Should We Manage and Sustain Deserts?
First of all, what do manage and sustain mean?
Management- To accomplish desired goals, management can be described as human intervention in both natural and social situations
Sustainability-When we are in a condition of sustainability, we can satisfy our immediate needs and desires without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to do the same. By preserving resources, figuring out ways to produce goods more effectively or identifying new resources, sustainability can be improved.
So, why should we manage and sustain the Arabian Desert?
Deserts are fragile ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate change. Changes in the climate would be further detrimental to the biodiversity found in the desert. The desert biome is important as there are 15 types of mineral deposits on this planet and deserts inhibit 13 of them.
We need to manage and sustain deserts because they are home to 17% of the human population, they carry out vital planetary, a habitat to various livestock such as camels and horses that provide food and livelihood for people. In addition, desert shrubs and trees produce food like dates and olives which are important food crops globally.
All of these pointers imply that desserts are a vital part of the ecosystem and should be sustained and managed
Roles of International and Local Communities
Numerous international and Local Communities have extended their hand to manage and sustain this part of the ecosystem. Communities like Arriyadh Development Authority and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification have taken huge steps to manage and sustain deserts.
Arriyadh Development Authority, a local community has funded projects like the Restoring Arabian Deserts Project. This project aimed to identify low-cost, scalable and science-based solutions to repair and enhance landscapes and ecosystems in the Arabian region. To date, over 99,000 Acacia plants and over 140,000 seeds have been installed in dedicated environmental plantings.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification has implemented the Drought Initiative, which focuses on working at the regional level to reduce drought vulnerability and risks. It also gives attention to setting up drought preparedness systems and providing a toolbox to enhance the drought resilience of both people and ecosystems.
So, how can we extend our hands to manage and sustain deserts?
- Promote coordinated land-use planning, including the management of water resources, livestock and agricultural activities.
- Preserve vegetation cover, which plays a key role in protecting the soil from wind and water erosion, by building barriers and stabilising dunes.
- Promote climate change education to raise awareness, in particular by showing the consequences of desertification and ways to prevent it.
- Focus on organic farming and sustainable practices, such as cover crops or rotational crops, which prevent soil erosion and drought.
- Commit to reforestation to regenerate vegetation cover, reactivate moisture circulation and generate biodiversity.
- Encourage rotational grazing, which limits pressure to a particular area while others regenerate, through co-existence with crops that allow more efficient nutrient cycling.
To conclude, the Arabian Desert is a vital part of our ecosystem. It inhibits a great variety of unique biodiversity and we should sustain it and prevent the effects of desertification.