Language
Country/Area
No result found
The miracle of desert biodiversity: Do you know how many unique species arid regions hold?
Arid regions are characterized by water scarcity, where precipitation forms a delicate balance with evaporation and plant transpiration. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, arid areas are tropical and temperate regions in humid environments with a drought index below 0.65. These areas can be divided into four categories: dry sub-humid areas, semi-arid areas, arid areas and hyper-arid areas. While some agencies consider hyper-arid areas to be deserts, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) excludes them from its definition of arid areas.
Drylands cover 41.3% of the world's land surface, with 72% in developing countries and rising as aridity levels increase. Almost all hyperarid areas are located in developing countries.
The importance of biodiversity
There is growing evidence that millions of people in developing countries depend on biodiversity in drylands for their food security and well-being. Arid regions differ from more humid ecosystems in that they rely primarily on surface water runoff to redistribute water resources. The lifestyles of people living in drylands help the global environment and contribute to climate change mitigation, including carbon sequestration and species protection.
Biodiversity is essential for ensuring sustainable development and provides important global economic value through the provision of ecosystem services and biodiversity products.
Dry regions of East Africa
Dry areas in East Africa cover about 47% of the land area and are home to approximately 20 million people. Nomadic herders who rely on cattle for their livelihoods make up the majority of these dry areas. Nomads make the most of available resources by moving strategically to obtain dry season grazing. However, this approach has been limited due to various factors.
One of the biggest challenges facing drylands is land degradation, which poses a huge threat to the world's ability to end hunger. Dry areas account for approximately 90 percent, 75 percent and 67 percent of Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia respectively. More than 60 million people live in drylands, accounting for 40% of the total population of these countries.
Four types of arid regions
Dry sub-humid areas
Ninety-eight percent of the land area in countries such as Burkina Faso, Botswana, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is located in dry and sub-humid zones. The biodiversity in these areas allows them to adapt to unpredictable rainfall patterns and run between floods and droughts.
Semi-arid areas
Semi-arid areas can be found in many parts of the world, mainly in Europe, Mexico, the southwestern United States, equatorial African countries, and several countries in South Asia.
Characteristics of Semi-arid Areas
The definitions of arid and semi-arid regions in the literature are usually based on climatic characteristics. For example, some scholars consider areas with annual rainfall ranging between 500 and 800 mm to be semi-arid. These areas typically have high evapotranspiration rates, high temperatures during the dry season, and almost continuous dry winds throughout the year.
Arid areas
Arid regions cover approximately 41% of the world's land and are home to 20% of the world's population. They have several unique characteristics: scarce precipitation, high temperatures, evapotranspiration, and low humidity. 」
Hyper-arid regions
These areas cover only 4.2% of the world and grow almost no vegetation. Precipitation in these areas is irregular, and there may not even be any rain for several years.
With new insights into biodiversity in arid regions, are you also wondering how to protect these fragile yet unique ecosystems and allow humans to coexist harmoniously with nature?
