DSRT A WORLD OF CONTRASTS
Whatever you think, think the opposite. DSRT A WORLD OF CONTRASTS
01. BIOME What is a desert Where deserts are located
02. CONTRAST Ice and dunes Animals and plants
A biome is an area classified according to the species that live in that location. Temperature range, soil type, and the amount of light and water are unique to a particular place and form the niches for specific species
allowing scientists to define the biome. However, scientists disagree on how many biomes exist. Some count six (forest, grassland, freshwater, marine, desert, and tundra), others eight and still others 11 biomes.
01. BIOME
HOT DESERTS BIOME Deserts cover more than 20% of the Earth’s land area, and they are found on every continent. Deserts are part of a wider class of regions called “dryland”. These areas exist under a “moisture deficit”, which means they can frequently lose more moisture through evaporation than they receive from annual precipitation. Hot deserts are hot arid areas with little rainfall, extreme temperature and sparse vegetation. Generally, the deserts that are found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions (western coasts of continents) between the 15 degrees and 30 degrees north and south of the equator are hot deserts. The annual rainfall in a hot desert is less than 250 mm that makes them very dry. Most of the hot deserts tend to lose water continuously as they are located on the path of trade winds. Their aridity is mainly due to the off-shore trade winds, so they are also known as Trade Wind Deserts. They are also devoid of cover of clouds due to the strong winds. The maximum temperature in a hot desert generally remains over 40 degree centigrade. There is no cold season in the hot deserts. The highest temperature recorded so far is 57.77 degree centigrade at A1 Azizia Libya. Sand dune in Namib desert by Margherita Novembri
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COLD DESERTS BIOME
If we think about desert we imagine a big expanse of sand, with dunes and with the sun beating down. That is a true but incomplete image. A Desert, by definition, is a big, arid, uncultivable and depopulated extension, characterised by an annual precipitation of less than 200 mm of rain. Some deserts are always cold, like the Gobi desert in Asia and the polar deserts of the Antarctic and Arctic, which are the world’s largest. Others are mountainous.
Only about 20% of deserts are covered by sand. Despite the common conceptions of deserts as hot, there are cold deserts as well. The largest desert in the world, infact, is Antarctica.
Only about 20% of deserts are covered by sand. Despite the common conceptions of deserts as hot, there are cold deserts as well. The largest hot desert in the world, infact, is Antarctica. Only about 20% of deserts are covered by sand. The largest desert on Earth is Antarctica, which covers 14.2 million square kilometers. It is also the coldest desert on Earth, even colder than the planet’s other polar desert, the Arctic. How can both the Sahara and Antarctica be deserts? The reason is that they both see little precipitation during the course of a year, typically around 25 centimeters, or less. This makes them both difficult places for plants and animals to live.
Antarctica mountains by James Eades
The Gobi Desert is a large desert in Asia. It covers parts of Northern and Northeastern China and of Southern Mongolia. The Gobi is notable in history as the location of several important cities along the Silk Road. The Gobi measures over 1,600 km from southwest to northeast and 800 km from north to south. The Gobi is a rain shadow desert, formed by the Tibetan Plateau blocking precipitation from the Indian Ocean reaching the Gobi territory. The Gobi is overall a cold desert, with frost and occasionally snow occurring on its dunes. Besides being quite far north, it is also located on a plateau
GOBI DESERT
IS AN OVERALL COLD DESERT
I THE GOBI DESERT IN ASIA
roughly 910-1,520 metres above sea level, which contributes to its low temperatures. An average of approximately 194 millimetres of rain falls annually in the Gobi. Additional moisture reaches parts of the Gobi in winter as snow is blown by the wind from the Siberian Steppes. These winds may cause the Gobi to reach - 40°C in winter to 45°C in summer. However, the climate of the Gobi is one of great extremes, combined with rapid changes of temperature of as much as 35 °C. These can occur not only seasonally but within 24 hours.
BETW
THE PATAGONIAN DESERT IS THE LARGEST DESERT IN AMERICA
The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonian Steppe is the largest desert in Argentina and is the 8th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 673,000 square kilometers. It is located primarily in Argentina and is bounded by the Andes, to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east, in the region of Patagonia, southern Argentina. The central parts of the steppe are dominated by shrubby and herbaceous plant species albeit to the west, where precipitation is higher, bushes are replaced by grasses. Topographically the deserts consist of alternating tablelands and massifs dissected by river valleys and canyons. The more western parts of the steppe host lakes of glacial origin and grades into barren mountains or cold temperate forests along valleys. The region experiences about seven months of winter and five months of summer. Frost is not uncommon in the desert but, due to the very dry condition year round, snow is rare. The Andes, to the desert’s west, are the primary reason for the Patagonian desert status as they inhibit the westerly flow of moisture from the southern Pacific from reaching inland. This creates a rain shadow that accounts for the formation of the desert and is why, despite approximately half of the desert being only about 200 miles from the ocean, such a large desert is found in the region.
WEEN
PATAGONIAN DESERT
IN
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Gobi desert by Patrick Schneider
You know that’s Gobi?
Patagonia mountains by Roi Dimor
PA T A G
GONIA
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A MATTER OF AIR Why do hot deserts exist? Sand flying from a dune, Death Valley (USA) by Jeremy Bishop
Deserts cover around 20% of the Earth and are on every continent. They are mainly found around 30 to 50 degrees latitude, called the midlatitudes. These areas are about halfway between the equator and the north and south poles. Remember that moist, hot air always rises from the equator. As this air climbs higher in the sky, it cools. Cool air can hold less water than warm air. This means that as the air cools, clouds form that release most of the water they hold. Because the cooling air is above the equator, the moisture rains back down on the tropics. Rainforest and deserts are wet and dry due to the cycle of the air. As warm air keeps rising from the equator, it pushes the cooler air away. The cool air
moves north and south before falling back toward the ground at around 30 to 50 degrees north and south of the equator. With warm air rising above the equator and the cooled air falling to the north and south, two circular patterns of air movement are created around the equator. These patterns of air circulation are called Hadley Cells. When the cool air begins to fall back toward the ground, or descend, it starts to warm up again. This warm, dry air can hold a lot of water, so the air starts to suck up what little water is around. At 30 to 50 degrees north and south of the equator, this falling air makes dry air drier. It also turns the land below it into a desert.
Sand flying from a hand by Kunj Parekh
WHY DO COLD DE EXIST? The previous record was -89.2°C , in 1983 at the Russian Vostok Research Station in East Antarctica and was a little lower down than the plateau region of the new record.
Antarctica iceberg by Mathieu Perrier
O ESERTS
During winter, the average temperature in the South Pole is -60°C, but in the North Pole it is -30°C. Why is Antarctica the way it is? or how is it that Antarctica is so cold? Antarctica has its features mainly due to its location at the South Pole. The South Pole tends to get significantly less sunlight than other places, this is similar to the North pole too. Less sunlight means
it gets cold. In addition the permanent ice cap reflects a large amount of sunlight. Also Antarctica is on average the highest continent and so temperature decreases with altitude. The Southern ocean is somewhat colder than the northern oceans also maintaining cooler temperatures. Antarctica is also quite an isolated continent. There are no major land masses near by, although the peninsula
of South America does come very close, the shape of the Peninsula means there is very little land mass to hold heat or cause changes in weather. Due to the high average elevation in Antarctica there is also less atmospheric pressure, lower air pressures that contribute to keeping the region cold. The coldest temperature on Earth has been recorded from satellite
data. It measured a chilly -93.3°C on August 10 2010. It came from 32 years of satellite data analysis. The cold spot was found in pockets of trapped air on the East Antarctic Plateau. One the reasons the pocket of air was so cold was due to clear nights allowing more heat to radiate out of the atmosphere into space. This is the same reason why deserts get cold at night.
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02. CONTRAST
THE ANTARCTICA NOT ONLY ICE
Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At more than 14 million square km, it is the fifth-largest continent. Antarctica is divided in two by the Transantarctic Mountains: the West Antarctica and the East Antarctica. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. Most of Antarctica is a polar desert, with annual precipitation down to 20 mm in most of the interior of the continent and 200 mm along the coast. The temperature
in Antarctica has reached -94.7°C, though the average in the coldest part of the year is -63°C. Organisms native to Antarctica include many types of algae, bacteria, fungi, plants, protista, and certain animals, such as mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Vegetation, where it occurs, is tundra. Antarctica is noted as the last region on Earth in recorded history to be discovered, unseen until 1820 when the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. The continent, however, remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment, lack of easily accessible resources, and isolation. In 1895, the first confirmed landing was conducted by a team of Norwegians.
Antarctica iceberg by Annie Spratt
Antarctica iceberg by Jay Ruzesky
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AN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDA
DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDANIA
Jordanian desert by Yuliya Kosolapova
ANIAN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JOR
AN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDANIAN DESERT JORDAN
WADI RUM
Wadi Rum known also as the Valley of the Moon, is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan 60 km away from the coastal city of Aqaba. Wadi Rum is the gateway to the Jordanian desert, it is the most visitor-friendly section of the desert in Jordan with plenty of activities and excursions to choose from.
THE GATEWAY TO THE JORDANIAN DESERT
Also known as the Valley of the Moon due to the beautiful night’s sky here, Wadi Rum spans across 278 square miles of mountains, rock bridges, sand dunes and notable sites including the alleged house of Lawrence of Arabia. The drive between Aqaba and Wadi Rum takes visitors along the Desert Highway which was once the route of the Hejaz Railway. Here visitors can bask themselves in the beauty of desert either side of them as they await the adventures at Wadi Rum. Jordan is also home to a large amount of desert in the east. The eastern desert in Jordan is rarely visited by tourists as it is far stonier than the sand dunes of the south. The vast landscape spans some 720 km and is filled with hills, sand dunes, crevasses, caverns, and canyons. The Wadi Rum desert is also home the Bedouin Community who have adapted to life amid the harsh desert conditions. The Bedouins are warm and welcoming people who live a humble nomadic life and take great pride in hosting guests, as hospitality is seen as an honor. Due to the large size and diverse desert landscape of the Wadi Rum Desert, it is advisable to have a tour guide when exploring. The Wadi Rum desert is a dry valley covered mostly in sand and most often very hot and arid. It can be difficult to explore the area on one’s own due to the harsh conditions and size.
Jordan may be a land of desert but it is also home to an abundance of flora and fauna. In fact, the nation is also covered by a plethora of wildflowers, strawberry oaks, and many different plant types including the national flower Black Iris. Bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts also travel from
across the globe to witness the range of rare species that reside here. In order to protect the natural landscape in Jordan, there are a number of nature reserves located throughout the country where visitors can catch a glimpse of the diverse array of flora and fauna in Jordan.
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Camel in Morocco desert by Ben Ostrower
LIFE IN THE DESERT
L I
DES
F E
Arctic fox by Jonatan Pie
ERT
PLANTS
Desert plants grow far apart, allowing them to obtain as much water around them as possible. They typically have tiny, waxy leaves in order to keep water. Some desert plants, such as cactuses, have shallow, wide-spreading root systems. The plants soak up water quickly and store it in their cells. Saguaro cactuses, which live in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and northern Mexico, expand like accordions to store water in the cells of their trunks and branches. A large saguaro is a living storage tower that can hold hundreds of liters of water. Other desert plants have very
Saguaro cactuses by Arne Smith
deep roots. The roots of a mesquite tree, for example, can reach water more than 30 meters underground. Mesquites, saguaros, and many other desert plants also have thorns to protect them from grazing animals. Many desert plants are annuals, which means they only live for one season. Their seeds may lie dormant for years during long dry spells. When rain finally comes, the seeds sprout rapidly. Plants grow, bloom, produce new seeds, and die, often in a short span of time. A soaking rain can change a desert into a wonderland of flowers almost overnight.
Plants and animals adapt to desert habitats in many ways
ANIMALS Fennec fox by Arne Smith
Animals that have adapted to a desert environment are called xerocoles, they include species of insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Some xerocoles avoid the sun by resting in scarce shade. Many escape the heat in cool burrows they dig in the ground. The fennec fox, for example, is native to the Sahara Desert. Fennec fox communities work together to dig large burrows, some as large as 93 square meters. They have adapted so they do not have to drink water at all: Their kidneys retain enough water from the food they eat. Most xerocoles are nocturnal. They sleep through the hot days and do their hunting and foraging at night. Deserts that seem desolate during the day are very active in the cool night time air. Foxes, coyotes, rats, and rabbits are all nocturnal desert mammals. Some xerocoles have bodies that help them handle the heat. Sand lizards, native to the deserts of Europe and Asia, are nicknamed “dancing lizards� because of the way they quickly lift one leg at a time off the hot desert sand. Many desert animals have developed ingenious ways of getting the water they need. The thorny devil, a lizard that lives in the Australian Outback, has a system of tiny grooves and channels on its body that lead to its mouth. The lizard catches rain and dew in these grooves and sucks them into its mouth by gulping. Camels are very efficient water users. The animals do not store water in their humps, as people once believed. The humps store fat. Hydrogen molecules in the fat combine with inhaled oxygen to form water. During a shortage of food or water, camels draw upon this fat for nutrition and moisture. Dromedary camels, native to the Arabian and Sahara deserts, can lose up to 30 percent of their body weight without harm. 28
SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND KING PENGUIN’S HOME
One of the most notable things about the South Georgia Island is the almost overwhelming large population of King penguins that make their home there. In fact, it is a major breeding spot, and stunning aerial photos have captured the beauty of hundreds of thousands of King penguins herded together.
King penguins, South Georgia Island by Ian Parker
Seal, Antarctica by Yuriy Rzhemovskiy
POLAR REGION
Polar bear, Antarctica by Alexandra Rose
Life in the
Animals that live in the polar regions (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals live in groups to be able to protect themselves from the cold. Most of them are homeotherms whitch means they have thermoregulation that maintains a stable internal body temperature regardless of external influence. Many animals who overwinter in this environment (like the Arctic fox or the polar bear) have a coat
Penguins, Antarctica by Marvin Heilemann
that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow. Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep).
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CREDITS Free University of Bozen-Bolzano Faculty of Design and Art Bachelor in Design and Art - Major in Design WUP 19/20 | 1st semester foundation course
Paper: Inside pages - Munchen Lynx, 150 g/m2 Cover - Cartamela, 250 g/m 2 Format: 254xy x 203,2xy mm
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Design by: Margherita Novembri Magazine | DSRT A WORLD OF CONTRASTS
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Photography: Wolfgang Hasselmann (Page 1-2) Margherita Novembri (Page 3-4) James Eades (Page 6) Patrick Schneider (Page 9) Roi Dimor (Page 11-12) Jeremy Bishop (Page 13) Kunj Parekh (Page 14) Mathieu Perrier (Page 15-16) Annie Spratt (Page 19) Jay Ruzesky (Page 20) Yuliya Kosolapova (Page 21-22) Ben Ostrower (Page 25) Jonatan Pie (Page 26) Arne Smith (Page 27-28) Ian Parker (Page 29-30) Yuriy Rzhemovskiy (Page 31) Alexandra Rose (Page 31) Marvin Heilemann (Page 32)
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