Hot Deserts
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- Created by: Iona112
- Created on: 04-12-21 09:30
Where are hot deserts found
they are mostly found in dry continental interiors away from coasts in a belt at approximately 30N or 30S
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What is the climate like
At these latitudes the air that has risen at the equator descends forming a persistent belt of high pressure
This explains why there is a lack of clouds and rain and the very high daytime temperatures
This explains why there is a lack of clouds and rain and the very high daytime temperatures
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How lack of cloud cover affects the temperature
- very hot in the day
- can plummet to below freezing at night
- can plummet to below freezing at night
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What are desert soils like
- desert soils tend to be Sandy or stoney with little organic matter due to the general lack of leafy vegetation
-they are dry but can draw up water rapidly after rainfall
- evaporation draws salts of to the surface leaving a white powder on the ground
-
-they are dry but can draw up water rapidly after rainfall
- evaporation draws salts of to the surface leaving a white powder on the ground
-
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What plants and animals are found in a hot desert
- Diverse range of plants, animals and birds
- adapted to surviving in the hostile condition
- adapted to surviving in the hostile condition
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How have plants adapted
-Tend to have very thin, glossy and waxy leaves or spines to reduce water loss
- some have very long taproots to reach deep underground water
- some plants store water in their roots, seems, leaves or fruits
- some plants have horizontal root systems just
- some have very long taproots to reach deep underground water
- some plants store water in their roots, seems, leaves or fruits
- some plants have horizontal root systems just
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Thar desert
- One of the major hot deserts of the world
- Stretches across north-west India & into Pakistan
- The desert covers an area of 200000km
- It is the most densely populated deserts in the world
- Stretches across north-west India & into Pakistan
- The desert covers an area of 200000km
- It is the most densely populated deserts in the world
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Landscape in the Thar desert
- mainly sandy hills
- sand dunes
- and clumps of thorn forest vegetation
- sand dunes
- and clumps of thorn forest vegetation
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Rainfall in the Thar Desert
- between 100-240 mm off rainfall per year
- summer temps can reach 53C
- summer temps can reach 53C
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Soil in the Thar Desert
- sandy and not very fertile
- little organic matter to enrich them
- drain very quickly so there is little surface water
- little organic matter to enrich them
- drain very quickly so there is little surface water
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Mineral extraction in the Thar desert
Has valuable reserves of minerals which are used all over India and exported across the world.
They include:
-Gypsum
- Feldspar
- Phosphorite
- Kaolin
- Limestone
- Marble
They include:
-Gypsum
- Feldspar
- Phosphorite
- Kaolin
- Limestone
- Marble
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Sanu limestone
- Sanu limestone in the region Jaisalmer
- the main source of limestone for India's steel industry
- the main source of limestone for India's steel industry
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Tourism in the Thar Desert
- Tens of thousands visit the desert each year
Attractions include:
- Beautiful landscapes
- Desert safaris on camels
- An annual Desert Festival held each winter
- locals benefit by providing food & accommodation & being guides & looking after camels
Attractions include:
- Beautiful landscapes
- Desert safaris on camels
- An annual Desert Festival held each winter
- locals benefit by providing food & accommodation & being guides & looking after camels
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Gypsum
used in making plaster for the construction industry and in making cement
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Feldspar
used to make ceramics
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Phosphorite
used for making fertiliser
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kaolin
used as a whitener in paper
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Energy in the Thar Desert
Rich in energy sources such as
- coal
- oil
-wind
-solar
- coal
- oil
-wind
-solar
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Coal in the Thar Desert
- extensive lignite coal deposits in parts of the the Thar desert
- a thermal energy plant has been constructed at Giral
- a thermal energy plant has been constructed at Giral
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Oil in the Thar Desert
- a large oilfield has been discovered in the Barmer district which could transform the local economy
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Wind energy in the Thar Desert
- there has recently been a focus on developing wind power, a renewable form of energy
- The Jaisalmer wind park was constructed in 2001
- This is India's largest wind farm
- The Jaisalmer wind park was constructed in 2001
- This is India's largest wind farm
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Solar energy in the Thar desert
- with its sunny cloudless skies the Thar Desert has ideal conditions for solar power generation
- At Bhaleri solar power is used in water treatment
- At Bhaleri solar power is used in water treatment
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Subsistence farming in the Thar Desert
- most people living in the desert are involved in subsistence farming
- they survive in the hot and dry conditions by grazing animals on the grassy areas and cultivating vegetables and fruit trees
- they survive in the hot and dry conditions by grazing animals on the grassy areas and cultivating vegetables and fruit trees
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Commercial farming in the Thar Desert
- grown in recent decades, this has been made possible by irrigation
-The construction of the Indira Ghandi Canal in 1958 has revolutionised farming and crops such as wheat and cotton can now thrive in an area that used to be desert
-The construction of the Indira Ghandi Canal in 1958 has revolutionised farming and crops such as wheat and cotton can now thrive in an area that used to be desert
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Why temp is a challenge for development in the Thar desert
- working outside in the heat of the day is very hard
- High rates of evaporation lead to water shortages which affect people as well as plants and animals
- Plants and animals have to adapt to survive in the extreme heat, Livestock need shade to protect
- High rates of evaporation lead to water shortages which affect people as well as plants and animals
- Plants and animals have to adapt to survive in the extreme heat, Livestock need shade to protect
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Why water supply is a challenge for development in the Thar desert
- as the population has grown and farming and industry have developed, demand for water has increased
- the desert has low annual rainfall, high temps and strong winds which causes high rates of evaporation
- water is scarce
- the desert has low annual rainfall, high temps and strong winds which causes high rates of evaporation
- water is scarce
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What are the sources of water in the Thar desert
- traditionally dirking water is stored in ponds, some natural and others manmade
- there are a few rivers and streams that flow through the desert
- some water can be obtained from underground sources (aquifers)
- there are a few rivers and streams that flow through the desert
- some water can be obtained from underground sources (aquifers)
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Problems with aquifers
water is salty and not very good quality
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name a river in the Thar desert
- The River Luni
- it feeds the marshy area called Rann
- it feeds the marshy area called Rann
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Problems with rivers in the desert
they are intermittent and flow only after rainfall
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What is the Indira Gandhi Canal
- the main form of irrigation in the desert
- this source of fresh water has transformed an extensive area of the desert
- constructed in 1958 and is 650 km long
- this source of fresh water has transformed an extensive area of the desert
- constructed in 1958 and is 650 km long
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which areas benefit from the Indira Gandhi Canal
The two main areas to benefit are the cities of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer where over 3500 km o land is under irrigation
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how does the Indira Gandhi Canal benefit the locals
provides drinking water to many people in the desert
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how does the Indira Gandhi Canal benefit farming
commercial farming, growing crops such as wheat and cotton, now flourishes in areas that used to be scrub desert
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Accessibility in the Thar Desert
- due to the vast barren areas there is limited road networks
- high temps can cause the tarmac to melt & the strong winds often blow sands over the roads
- many places are only accessible by camel & public transport involves seriously overfilled buses
- high temps can cause the tarmac to melt & the strong winds often blow sands over the roads
- many places are only accessible by camel & public transport involves seriously overfilled buses
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what is desertification
- happens where land is gradually turned into desert
- usually on the edges of existing deserts
- once soil is exposed to the weather it will crack, break up and then be eroded by the weather
- usually on the edges of existing deserts
- once soil is exposed to the weather it will crack, break up and then be eroded by the weather
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where is desertification a problem
- areas most at risk are existing deserts
- it affects rich countries as well as poorer ones
- it affects rich countries as well as poorer ones
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desertification in Australia
- over 40% of the 5 mill km of dessert and semi-desert has been affected by desertification
- mainly due to the pressure of grazing on fragile land affected by drought
- mainly due to the pressure of grazing on fragile land affected by drought
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how does soil erosion cause desertification
- when vegetation has been destroyed the soil is exposed to the wind and rain making it vulnerable to erosion
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how does climate change cause desertification
- In some desert regions like the southern fringes of the Sahara desert climate change is resulting in drier conditions and unreliable rainfall
- slight changes in temp and rainfall can have serious impacts
- slight changes in temp and rainfall can have serious impacts
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how does population pressure cause desertification
- can lead to land close to existing deserts being overgrazed
- this means that there are too many animals to be supported by the limited vegetation
- when the vegetation has been destroyed the land will turn to desert
- this means that there are too many animals to be supported by the limited vegetation
- when the vegetation has been destroyed the land will turn to desert
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how does over-cultivation cause desertification
- resulting from the need produce more food can lead to the soil becoming exhausted
- it will turn to dust and become infertile
- it will turn to dust and become infertile
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The Badia
- The Bad is a dry rocky desert in eastern Jordan
- its annual rainfall is less than 150 mm and its summer temps exceed 40C
- the lack of water is a major problem in this region
- its annual rainfall is less than 150 mm and its summer temps exceed 40C
- the lack of water is a major problem in this region
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What caused desertification in the Badia
- much of the land has been traditionally grazed by the Nomadic Bedouin who herd sheep, goats and camels on the rough shrubby grassland
- an influx of sheep from Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War led to overgrazing and desertification
- an influx of sheep from Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War led to overgrazing and desertification
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Consequences of Desertification in The Badia
- made the land unproductive and people moved away from the area
- without vegetation, soil erosion became a major problem too
- without vegetation, soil erosion became a major problem too
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how does population growth cause desertification
- increasing demand for fuelwood
- trees are stripped of their branches and eventually die
- trees are stripped of their branches and eventually die
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how can water and soil management reduce desertification in hot deserts
Local farmers in Australia are encouraged to use the following methods to prevent soil erosion
- ponding banks
- contour traps
- ponding banks
- contour traps
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How can commercial farming cause desertification
Commercial farming often involves irrigation, but too much irrigation can cause problems leading to a process called salinisation
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salinisation
the high rate of evaporation in hot deserts leads to a build- up of salts on the surface, this reduces soil fertility and kills plants
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ponding banks
areas of land enclosed by low walls to store water
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contour traps
embankments built along the contours of slopes to prevent soil from being washed down during heavy rainfall
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Water and soil management in the Badia, Jordon
Set up the Tal Rimah Rangeland Rehabilitation project that aims to reverse the desertification caused by an over grazing in the 1990a
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What does the Tal Rimah Rangeland Rehabilitation Project involve
- local people have built low stone walls to prevent water running down slopes after rainfall
- water is used to irritate newly planted Atriplex shrubs
- water is used to irritate newly planted Atriplex shrubs
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How planting Atriplex shrubs reduce desertification
- Well adapted to the environment
- Atriplex hold the soil together and provide grazing for sheep and goats
- Atriplex hold the soil together and provide grazing for sheep and goats
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Effects of the Tal Rimah Rangeland Rehabilitation Project
soil conditions have improved & plants have started to grow which attracts birds and butterflies to the area
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How do national parks reduce desertification
in some parts of the world, hot desert areas at risk of desertification have been protected by making them into national parks
examples are
- The Desert National Park in the Thar Desert, India
-The Zion National Park in the USA
examples are
- The Desert National Park in the Thar Desert, India
-The Zion National Park in the USA
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Tree planting in the Thar Desert, India
- important way of reducing erosion
- tree roots bind the soil together and the leaves and branches provide shade, grazing for animals and fuelwood
- tree roots bind the soil together and the leaves and branches provide shade, grazing for animals and fuelwood
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Benefits of the Prosopis Cineraria tree in the Thar
- well adapted to the desert
- plenty of foliage and seed pods for animals to it
- good quality firewood
- strong wood for building
- shade and most growing conditions for plants
- roots to stabilise sand dunes
- plenty of foliage and seed pods for animals to it
- good quality firewood
- strong wood for building
- shade and most growing conditions for plants
- roots to stabilise sand dunes
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Appropriate technology
-n involves using methods and materials that are appropriate to their level of development
- many living on the edges of deserts are poor
-so don't have access to expensive machinery so sustainable approaches have to be practical and appropriate
- many living on the edges of deserts are poor
-so don't have access to expensive machinery so sustainable approaches have to be practical and appropriate
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'magic stones' in Burkina Faso, West Africa
- in rural parts of Burkina Faso lines of stones have been used to reduce soil erosion
- when rain washes down the hillside the walls trap water and soil
- this has helped to increase crops by up to 50% and reduce desertification
- when rain washes down the hillside the walls trap water and soil
- this has helped to increase crops by up to 50% and reduce desertification
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
At these latitudes the air that has risen at the equator descends forming a persistent belt of high pressure
This explains why there is a lack of clouds and rain and the very high daytime temperatures
This explains why there is a lack of clouds and rain and the very high daytime temperatures
Back
What is the climate like
Card 3
Front
- very hot in the day
- can plummet to below freezing at night
- can plummet to below freezing at night
Back
Card 4
Front
- desert soils tend to be Sandy or stoney with little organic matter due to the general lack of leafy vegetation
-they are dry but can draw up water rapidly after rainfall
- evaporation draws salts of to the surface leaving a white powder on the ground
-
-they are dry but can draw up water rapidly after rainfall
- evaporation draws salts of to the surface leaving a white powder on the ground
-
Back
Card 5
Front
- Diverse range of plants, animals and birds
- adapted to surviving in the hostile condition
- adapted to surviving in the hostile condition
Back
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