Language
Country/Area
No result found
Faced with extreme climate: How does the Atacama Desert support more than 500 plant species?
The Atacama Desert, a wilderness in northern Chile, South America, is known for its astonishingly dry and extreme climate. However, this desert, which is considered to be one of the driest on earth, actually breeds more than 500 species of plants, which undoubtedly arouses the curiosity of many biologists and environmental activists. How do these plants survive and thrive in such a hostile environment?
The special climatic conditions and unique terrain of the Atacama Desert have enabled plants here to evolve amazing adaptability.
The average annual rainfall here is only about 15 mm, and in some areas it is even less than 1 mm. How do Atacama's plants survive such extreme drought? All this can be attributed to its unique ecosystem and the adaptability of its plants. For example, most plants have deep root systems that can not only reach underground water sources to absorb stored water, but also effectively resist drought.
In addition, ambient mist, such as camanchaca, as it is known locally, provides trace amounts of moisture to these plants. This phenomenon is particularly evident near the coast, where fog condenses at night and provides essential water for the creatures that live here.
It is amazing that more than 500 species of plants have found ways to survive in this extreme climate challenge.
The most common plants in this desert include coriander, llareta and salt grass, all of which have shown extraordinary survival abilities. Llareta is a type of vegetation that can grow at high altitudes of 3,000 to 5,000 meters. It is 3 to 4 meters thick and grows at a rate of only 1.5 centimeters per year, which makes it possible that many llareta are more than 3,000 years old.
Not only that, the seasonal flowering of the Atacama Desert (known as the "blooming desert") attracts many tourists and photographers in years with abundant rainfall, such as 2015.
The short flowering season, from September to November, adds color to this dry landscape, making good use of every drop of water.
The Atacama Desert is not only a hotbed for plant growth, but also an important experimental base for biologists to study ecological adaptability. The research conducted by scientists has revealed how plants maintain life in extreme climate conditions, including how plants obtain the nutrients and water they need through photosynthesis and the depth of their root systems in environments where water resources are extremely limited.
While nature is remarkably resilient, human influence cannot be ignored. With climate change and continued human development, the plant ecosystem of the Atacama Desert faces unprecedented challenges. Global climate change is making droughts more severe, forcing us to rethink the future of these plants and their important role in Earth's ecosystems.
These plants are not only the survivors of the desert, but also witnesses of global biodiversity.
In addition to plants, the Atacama Desert is also home to a variety of animal species, which also face many difficulties, such as insufficient available water and a lack of food. From desert insects to the vicuña, the creatures here have adapted to this unique environment. Supported by this desert ecosystem, these organisms demonstrate plant-like resilience.
In the future, as human activities grow and climate change continues to have an impact, how can we protect this precious ecological area and these unique lives?
