Hot Desert Revision
Sahara Desert
Climate
Adaptations
Opportunities
Challenges
Location
Animals
Vegetation
less than 250mm of rain per year
Between 30 degrees North and South of Equator
Between and on the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer
Falling air due to tri-cellular model
makes the air arid and dry
High pressure belt creates cloudless skies
Temperatures reach 40 degress celcius in the day but -4 at night
Often located on the West coast of continents due to prevailing winds losing moisture by the time they reach them
Little flora and fauna
Infertile soil
High temperatures
Low population
Camel
Long eyelashes, hairy ears and closing nostrils to keep out sand
Thick eyebrows that stand out to shade eyes from the sun
Wide feet to prevent sinkage in sand
They can go over a week without water because they drink gallons in one go
They can go months without food because they store fat in their humps
Adjustable body temperature to avoid moisture loss through sweat
Camoflage
Thick fur to keep warm at night
Cactus
Spines
Reduce water loss
Ward off predators
Shallow, widespread roots soak up rain as soon as it falls
Inflatable stems to hold more water
Thick waxy skin
Arabian death scorpion
Doesn't need to drink as it absorbs moisture from its prey
Can adjust its own metabolism and oxygen intake so that it only needs to eat a couple times a year
They are nocturnal
They burrow underground during the day to protect themselves
It is spread over 11 countries in the North of Africa
It is either side of the Tropic of Cancer
Tunisia
Sudan
Western Sahara
Niger
Morocco
Mauritania
Mali
Libya
Egypt
Chad
Algeria
Extreme Temperatures
Limited (or no) water supply
Inaccessibility
Sandstorms
No settlements
Weather is too harsh for construction to take place
Working in 40 degrees or -4 degrees (celcius) can both be dangerous
The hot season is too hot for tourists, forcing tourism to be a seasonal business
Physical work and labour is difficult, meaning work like farming and mining is resricted to certain times in the day.
Rainfall is unpredictable and very low
No more than 70mm in some places
Most rivers only flow for part of the year, so a constant water supply is difficult to source
Aquifers are being used up quicker than they can naturally refill
Since 1969, the aquifer beneath Morocco has lost 15m of water every year
It can take trucks 5 days to transport salt from salt mines in Mali out of the desert
Providing medical services to remote areas is difficult
Due to the lack of transport infrastructure, products, materials and people have to travel by air- which is expensive
Pipelines to transport oil and gas are very expensive to build
Most settlements don't have running water or electricity, and they are too remote for it to be set up
Mining
Solar energy
Tourism
Agriculture
Multiplier effect
One economuc activity benefits another, circulating money around the hospitality industry
10 million people visited Morocco in 2017
All tourists pay a tax (visa)
Oil
Phosphate
Iron ore reserves
Saudi Arabia
For fertilisers
Contributed up to 35% of Moroccos exports in 2011, helping their balance of trade
Miners earn regular and secure wages, as well as pay tax back to fund public services
Help the LICs to become NEEs with the energy and wealth oil provides
Allows farmers to grow more and better crop yeilds, helping subsistence and commercial farming
Cheap
Renewable
There are 330 sunny days a year in the desert
Morocco has the largest solar panel farm in the world
3500 football fields in size
Could power the city of Praque
Creates high skill and high pay jobs
Investment opportunities
It is reliable
Homes and businesses can function without fear of frequent and random power cuts
130,000 rugby pitches worth of Sahara land is used for farming
90,000 metric tonnes of dates were produced in Morocco in 2017
Can be used for people, camels and exports
Mild winter temperatures allow for off-season crops to be grown in coastal areas
140,000 camels are bred every year and farmed for dairy products.
Desertification
Causes
Solutions
Types
Semiarid
Coastal
Subtropical
Polar
Definition
Land is gradually turned into desert, usually along the edges of existing deserts
Can occur when land is overgrazed by livestock or stripped of vegetation by people collecting resources like firewood
The land is left exposed to the weather causing it to crack, break up and be eroded by wind and water
Population growth
Removal of firewood
Climate change
Overgrazing/over-cultivation
Soil erosion
Lack of contraception and high birth rates mean that the population rises with each generation
Introducing contraception can help births to be planned to suit the family
Younger girls also get married and bear children for older men
1.2-1.3 billion people live in desert areas, so resources are needed to keep warm and survive
Due to the desert simply not having the resources necessary to meet demand, trees are stripped barren.
Weather patterns are changing globally because of rising temperatures and icecaps melting
This could lead to mass-extinction of species of plants and animals
The desert is exposed to futher and more intesnse drought, making is even more inhospitable
Too many animals being farming in one place, stripping the land bare of vegetation and minerals. Crop yeilds become exponentially worse
Farmers cannot let the soil rest as they need income all year round, and the government does not endorse breaks in farming
The other factors cause the barren and dry land to become cracked and destroyed by weather
There is less rain in deserts now than there was 50 years ago
Afforestation
Tree roots hold soil together to reduce erosion
Improving soil quality
Farming sustainably
Using fertilisers
Farming less cattle and more crops
Water management
Storing water in earth dams in the wet season and irrigating crops in the dry season
Drip irrigation
Intermediate technology
Zai
Stone lines
3 Lows
Low tech
Local people
Low cost
The Great Green Wall of Senegal
A wall of Acaia trees across 11 countries to stop the spead of the Sahel
5,000 miles long
11 million trees
Acacia trees are drought resistant
Hose pipes are layed alongside crops and small holes drip water closer to the roots
This makes water use more efficient, leading to larger yeilds, which means more income as well as tax, creating better public services
Crop holes are left uncovered, captuing rain and nutrients
Short stone walls are erected along contours in the ground to capture water and reduce run off. This revitalises soil and can be used for drinking water