Chapter 9: Life In The Deserts

In previous chapters, we have seen how water is fundamental to life for all living beings. This chapter explores environments where water is extremely scarce. These are the deserts of the world, characterized by very low rainfall, sparse vegetation, and extreme temperatures. A region is classified as a desert based on its aridity, not just its temperature.

Depending on the prevailing temperatures, deserts are broadly classified into two types:

1. Hot Deserts (like the Sahara)
2. Cold Deserts (like Ladakh)

Despite these harsh conditions, people have adapted and learned to live in these lands, typically settling in areas where a little water is available to support life and agriculture.

The Hot Desert – Sahara

The Sahara Desert, located in North Africa, is the world's largest hot desert. It covers a massive area of about 8.54 million square kilometers, which is more than twice the size of India. It stretches across eleven countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, and Sudan.

While often imagined as endless stretches of sand, the Sahara's landscape is diverse. It includes vast sand seas, gravel plains, and elevated plateaus with bare, rocky surfaces that can rise over 2500 meters in height.

Climate

The climate of the Sahara is defined by its extreme heat and dryness.

• Temperature: The climate is scorching hot and parch dry. Days are unbelievably hot, with temperatures soaring as high as 50°C. The sand and rocks absorb this heat and radiate it, making the surroundings intensely hot. In stark contrast, nights can be freezing cold, with temperatures dropping to near 0°C.
• Rainfall: The rainy season is very short, and moisture evaporates faster than it accumulates. The sky is typically cloudless and clear.

Flora and Fauna

The plant and animal life in the Sahara is adapted to survive in arid conditions.

• Flora (Plants): Vegetation is sparse and includes drought-resistant species like cactus, date palms, and acacia. In certain places, where underground water reaches the surface, green fertile areas called oases are formed. These oases support the growth of date palms and other crops.
• Fauna (Animals): The animal species found here are adapted to the heat and lack of water. Prominent animals include camels, hyenas, jackals, foxes, scorpions, and many varieties of snakes and lizards.

Interestingly, scientific evidence, including cave paintings and fish skeletons, shows that the Sahara was once a lush green plain with rivers and abundant wildlife like crocodiles, elephants, and giraffes, before a major climate shift transformed it.

People

Despite the harsh climate, various groups of people inhabit the Sahara.

• Nomadic Tribes: Groups like the Bedouins and Tuaregs are nomadic, moving with their livestock (goats, sheep, camels) in search of pasture. These animals provide them with milk, hides for making leather goods, and hair for weaving mats, carpets, and clothes. They wear heavy robes to protect themselves from dust storms and hot winds.
• Settled Populations: In the oases and along the Nile Valley in Egypt, settled communities thrive. With a reliable water source, they grow crops like date palms, rice, wheat, and barley. Egyptian cotton, famous worldwide, is also grown here.
• Modern Transformation: The discovery of oil and other valuable minerals like iron, phosphorus, and uranium in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt is rapidly changing the Sahara. Gleaming modern office buildings and highways are appearing alongside ancient mosques and camel paths. Trucks are replacing camels in trade, and many nomads are moving to cities to find jobs in the oil and gas industries.

The Cold Desert - Ladakh

Ladakh, meaning "land of high passes," is a cold desert situated in the Great Himalayas, on the eastern side of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a high-altitude plateau, enclosed by the massive Karakoram Range to the north and the Zanskar mountains to the south. The Indus is the most important river flowing through its deep valleys and gorges.

Climate

Due to its high altitude (varying from 3,000m to over 8,000m) and its location in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, Ladakh's climate is extremely cold and dry.

• Temperature: The air is so thin that the sun's heat feels intense, yet the air temperature remains very low. In summer, day temperatures are just above 0°C, while night temperatures can plummet to below -30°C. In winter, it is freezing cold, with temperatures often remaining below -40°C.
• Rainfall: There is very little rainfall, as low as 10 cm annually. The area experiences freezing winds and burning sunlight, creating a unique environment where one can suffer from both sunstroke and frostbite at the same time.

Flora and Fauna

The extreme aridity limits vegetation growth.

• Flora (Plants): The vegetation is sparse, consisting of patches of grasses and shrubs. Groves of willows and poplars can be seen in the valleys. During the short summer, fruit trees like apples, apricots, and walnuts blossom.
• Fauna (Animals): Ladakh is home to several species of birds, including robins and the Tibetan snowcock. The animals are adapted to the cold and include wild goats, wild sheep, and the yak. These animals are reared for milk (used to make cheese and butter), meat, and hides. The hair of sheep and goats is used to make woollens. The endangered Chiru (Tibetan antelope) is hunted for its exceptionally fine and warm wool, known as shahtoosh.

People

The people of Ladakh share cultural similarities with the inhabitants of Tibet and Central Asia. The population is primarily composed of Muslims and Buddhists. The landscape is dotted with beautiful Buddhist monasteries, known as 'gompas', such as Hemis, Thiksey, and Lamayuru.

• Livelihood: In summer, people are busy cultivating crops like barley, potatoes, peas, and turnips. Women are very hardworking, managing not only household chores and fields but also small businesses and shops.
• Modernisation and Tourism: The capital, Leh, is well-connected by road and air. Tourism is a major economic activity, attracting visitors for trekking, sightseeing at gompas, and witnessing local festivals.
• Harmony with Nature: Over centuries, the people of Ladakh have learned to live in balance with their harsh environment. Due to the scarcity of resources like water and fuel, they use them with great care and reverence, ensuring nothing is wasted.