hot desert case study gcse geography

Living World - Opportunities & Challenges -Deserts

A case study of a hot desert - the Thar Desert

The Thar Desert is the world's seventh largest desert. It is a hostile environment that lies to the west of New Delhi and includes the deserts that cover portions of the Indian states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan, as well as the Punjab and Sind in Pakistan. Indeed, the desert straddles the border between India and Pakistan and covers over 200,000km squared. On its western margin lies the mighty Indus River. The Thar Desert is not empty of human or plant life, it has some trees and animal life, and it has been colonised for a long time.  It is known as the land of death, but hosts a variety of life.  It is the most populated desert in the world with nearly 30 million people and is also the most densely populated with 83 people per km2, it is known as the “teeming” desert. It is an environment with many opportunities and challenges to development.

Development opportunities in hot desert environments:

Tourism Jaisalmer is a desert city that has stood the test of time for nearly a thousand years.  It sits on an ancient trading highway between east and west, on the silk and spice routes. The population has waxed and waned with changes in trade and drought.  Recent times have seen the population grow by a third, as its booming tourist industry sucks people in.  More than 600,000 people now call the area home. The city is struggling to keep up, especially in terms of water use.  The fort gives the town its name, the golden city. The demand for water into the fort has gone up 12 fold, and the waste water passes under the foundations and undermines them.  The walls are subsiding and crumbling. People are coming as tourists because of its large fort, the history of the Maharajahs and because Jaisalmer is often used as a base to explore the nearby desert, in jeeps or by camel safari. Even the fort is struggling due to increased tourism. Originally the fort relied upon wells, but water was piped in in the 1970s. They failed to put in proper drainage with the water and it is now at risk of collapsing in parts.  Many tourist hotels are in the fort and this adds to the problem.

Subsistence farming

Many of the people who live in the Thar Desert are involved in farming, but this is tough. The landscape has creeping dunes, harsh winds, searing summer temperatures and devastating droughts. To combat this many of the people are subsistence farmers, farming enough food for themselves and their families with little for sale. There are depressions between the sand dunes that act as mini drainage basins.  When it does rain the water collects at the bottom of these depressions and allows desert grasses to grow.  This allows the animals to graze and people to live here in small settlements like Pithorai. People survive here by herding goats and women play an integral role in village life whilst the men are away with the animals.  They have to fetch water twice a day.  The houses are small and dark inside to keep cool in summer and warm in winter. The way of life is self-sufficient and the goats provide milk for the villagers. The women cook with butter milk as it saves water; similarly they do the washing up with sand! The women also have to collect firewood. Another group of farmers, the Raikas, are subsistence farmers who look after camels.

Commercial farming in the Thar Desert Mineral Extraction

Mineral extraction is the removal of solid mineral resources from the earth. In Rajasthan these resources include limestone and gypsum (for making plaster) are found in this desert - and are valuable for the building industry. Energy use The desert is also used to generate energy.  Close to Jaisalmer is the largest wind turbine farm in India. It consists of 75 wind turbines with a total capacity of 60 MW. The project provides renewable electricity to the Northern regional electricity grid.  There are also plans to develop a huge solar farm across large parts of the desert.

Despite all of the opportunities the Thar Desert still poses huge challenges in terms of developing a hot desert environment.  The extreme temperatures, poor water supply in parts of the desert, and inaccessibility in more remote regions all threaten the lives and well-being of the people who live there.

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Hot Deserts

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First have a look at one of the most famous hot deserts around the world.

• Great Basin Desert
• Peruvian Desert
• Atacama Desert
• Patagonian Desert
• Sahara Desert
• Arabian Desert
• Turkestan Desert
• Great Indian Desert
• Gobi Desert
• Kalahari and Namib Desert

Note – If you notice carefully, major hot deserts having extremely high temperatures are found near the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. World’s largest hot desert is Sahara which covers almost the whole continent.

With an extreme climate hot deserts have very challenging environment for living beings. You will hardly any kind of vegetation there. Only few plants and animals have adapted to live in this climate.

Climate of the hot desert

• Climate is extremely hot and temperature remains more than 40 degrees for most time of the day. However, the hot desert become cold as the temperature falls below 0 degree.
• Climate is very dry with negligible humidity. The average rainfall is 250 mm a year.
• Thin, sandy, rocky and grey are the terms to describe the soil of the desert. Since it is very dry, it soaks the rainfall quickly
• The crusty look of the surface is due to the lack of water in the soil. Due to high temperature the water under the surface rises up through evaporation and leave salts behind on the surface.

Plants in Hot Deserts

Most people would associate the desert with cacti and short bushes, which is definitely the reality of the plant life that can be found there. The plants that are in deserts are specially adapted to cope with very little rainfall and a lot of them have short life cycles. This means that they only grow when it rains.

If we take a look at some of the plants that can be found in deserts, then we can see that a lot of them have long roots or roots that are spread out. Plants with long roots can reach sources of water that can be found deep underground, while plants with wide roots can catch a lot of water when it does rain.

Animals in Hot Deserts

The animals that can be found living in the desert are worth paying attention to, because they are specially adapted to live there. They have to be able to thrive in such a harsh environment. When most people think about animals in the desert, they think about reptiles and insects.

Some mammals cope very well in the desert, but they tend to be very small and a lot of them are also nocturnal. This means that they do not have to cope with the extreme temperatures during the day, but they do have to cope with the cold at night. A lot of the birds that live in the desert leave the area when the temperature becomes too extreme.

People in Hot Deserts

Humans who live in the desert usually grow crops to sustain themselves, but they need to be near natural springs and wells in order to do this. Most of these bodies of water can be found along the very edge of the desert.

There are also indigenous people who call the desert their home, but they tend to be nomadic. They take herds of sheep and goats across the desert in search of food and water. This means that they cannot stop in one place for too long.

The Climate in Hot Deserts

Deserts are generally thought of as being places where very little rain falls. But, when rain does fall, it can vary a lot. You might only see rainfall once every several years in a desert. This is very extreme and it has led to a lot of plants in the desert having short life cycles that are prompted by rainfall. The temperatures in the desert are also extreme, being very hot during the day and very cold at night.

Desert Ecosystems

If you have not learnt about ecosystems, then you should take a look at our page that covers the topic.

In deserts, ecosystems are incredibly fragile. One simple change could affect a whole ecosystem. But, ecosystems in the desert have a lot of different things to content with. For example, the amount of rain that falls in a hot desert is very low. This means that animals have to keep moving to find water, or they have to be adapted to cope with very little water.

The people who live in deserts can also negatively impact ecosystems because of the way that they water the land that their crops grow on. Most of the time, this involves taking unsustainable amounts of water from underground. Naturally, this means that there is less water for the plants and animals who also rely on those sources.

Desertification

While a lot of the plants and animals in hot deserts are specially adapted to live there, there are still a lot of problems that you need to be aware of. Desertification is probably the biggest problem in the desert because it involves land degrading, meaning that it becomes less productive.

One of the key aspects of desertification is soil erosion. This means that soil can easily be removed in layers by gusts of wind and water. This leads to nutrients being lost and soil becoming less productive quickly, making it difficult to grow anything on it.

Reducing the Risk of Desertification

There are plenty of different things that can be done to reduce the risk of desertification, they include:

• By planting trees, people can prevent soil erosion. This is because the trees will act as windbreaks and prevent the wind from blowing away the top level of soil. Trees can also be used to provide crops and animals with shade, reducing the temperatures that they are exposed to.
• To reduce soil erosion, land that is used for agricultural purposes should occasionally be left to rest. This allows the soil to recover nutrients that would otherwise cause the land to become unproductive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the defining characteristics of hot deserts, including their extreme temperatures, arid conditions, and adaptations of desert flora and fauna.

Hot deserts are characterized by high temperatures, low precipitation, and specialized adaptations of plants and animals.

Explain the role of desert plants, such as succulents and xerophytes, in conserving water and thriving in arid environments.

Desert plants have adapted water-saving mechanisms like modified leaves, reduced transpiration, and deep root systems.

Describe the unique behaviors and physiological adaptations of desert animals, including nocturnal activity, water storage, and thermoregulation.

Desert animals have evolved to conserve water, regulate body temperature, and adapt to limited food resources.

Discuss the challenges and opportunities for human habitation and resource use in hot desert regions, including issues related to water scarcity and sustainable development.

Human habitation in hot deserts requires efficient water management, and sustainable development involves reducing environmental impacts.

How does climate change impact hot desert ecosystems, including shifts in desert boundaries, increased desertification, and potential implications for global climate patterns?

Climate change can lead to desert expansion, increased desertification, and disruptions in local and global climate systems.

Cite/Link to This Article

<a href="https://geography-revision.co.uk/gcse/desert-environments/hot-deserts/">Hot Deserts</a>

"Hot Deserts". Geography Revision . Accessed on April 4, 2024. https://geography-revision.co.uk/gcse/desert-environments/hot-deserts/.

"Hot Deserts". Geography Revision , https://geography-revision.co.uk/gcse/desert-environments/hot-deserts/. Accessed 4 April, 2024.

AQA GCSE Geography

Hot Deserts: Thar Desert Case Study

The Thar Desert is located in northwest India and southeast Pakistan. It is the most densely populated hot desert in the world, with 83 people per square kilometre. Many people living there are subsistence farmers , but the human presence is only growing and threatens aspects of the delicate ecosystem.

Development Opportunities

The Thar Desert has a unique set of economic opportunities that the local human population could take advantage of.

Development Challenges

Deserts are hostile places for humans and there are many challenges to development there.

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AQA GCSE Geography Hot Deserts Case Study: Opportunities and Challenges in the Western Desert

Last updated

19 February 2024

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Resources included (3)

3. AQA GCSE Water Crisis in the Western Desert

2. AQA GCSE Challenges for Development in the Western Desert

1. AQA GCSE Opportunities for Development in the Western Desert

A bundle of three fully resourced lessons which cover all aspects the AQA GCSE specification for a case study of a Hot Desert. Focuses on the Western Desert in the USA. Lesson 1 explores the location, characteristics and opportunities in the Western Desert. Lesson 2 explores the challenges for development in the Western Desert region. Lesson 3 explores the water crisis and its effects on the Western Desert region.

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Biodiversity in hot deserts

Despite their seemingly inhospitable conditions, deserts are home to a surprising array of plant and animal life, including species adapted to survive in extreme heat and aridity.

The extreme climate supports a lower biomass than some other biomes, such as the tropical rainforest. This is due to the high temperatures, low rainfall and a lack of available water. However, biodiversity increases close to desert water sources such as seasonal rivers and lakes and near an oasis.

Hot deserts are home to a wide range of species. For example, the Sahara is home to 500 species of plants, 70 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles and many species of spiders and scorpions.

The dry conditions are suitable for xerophytes, plants that can survive through adaptations such as thick, waxy cuticles and the loss of leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration.

Some plants have the bulk of their biomass below the surface of the Earth, where temperatures are cooler.

Some areas of desert bloom following short periods of rainfall. Plants with a short life cycle and dormant seeds respond well to these conditions.

Deserts are very fragile ecosystems. A small change in biotic or abiotic conditions can significantly impact the ecosystem . Human activity is the greatest threat to biodiversity in hot deserts.

What are the threats to biodiversity in hot deserts?

There are considerable threats to biodiversity in hot deserts, including:

• climate change – changing rainfall patterns and increased frequency and intensity of droughts threaten the delicate ecological balance as water becomes more scarce.
• wildfires – slow-growing shrubs and trees will be replaced with faster-growing grasses, altering the ecosystem.
• overgrazing, over-cultivation and logging for firewood destroy vegetation, exposing the soil to erosion by rain and wind, leading to desertification, especially on desert fringes.
• desert tourism – off-road vehicles damage vegetation and disturb wildlife.

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GCSE Geography | Opportunities in the Western Desert (Hot Deserts 5)

Last updated 19 Jul 2023

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The Western Desert in the USA is made up of three different hot deserts - the Mojave Desert, part of the Sonoran Desert and part of the Chihuahuan Desert. The Western Desert is in south-western USA - it covers 200,000 km² and spans parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Population density in the desert is low - most people live in the cities such as Phoenix in Arizona and Las Vegas in Nevada.

Despite the harsh environment, the Western Desert offers many opportunities for economic development.

Mineral extraction in the Western Desert

The Western Desert has an abundance of valuable minerals, such as copper, uranium, lead, zinc and coal. The Sonoran Desert has experienced copper mining for hundreds of years - in the past this was relatively small-scale but the discovery of water supplies below ground has meant that large-scale opencast mining can take place.

There have been issues of conflict with other economic activities, including tourism and farming, which has meant that some minerals haven't been fully exploited. Environmental concerns have also stopped some energy developments, for example plans for uranium mining close to the Grand Canyon were stopped following a campaign by local indigenous people who voiced their concerns about the risk to endangered species of wildlife and the contamination of drinking water supplies. Uranium is used in nuclear power plants to generate energy.

Energy development in the Western Desert

The Western Desert has long sunny days so it a great location for generating solar energy, with many solar farms planned across the region. One of the world's biggest is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, in the Mohave Desert, 64 km south-west of Las Vegas. Sunlight is focused by 173,000 heliostat mirrors, each measuring 7m², onto three 138 m high solar power towers. The heat from the sun generates steam to drive turbines that generate electricity for 140,000 homes. The project cost $2.2 billion and covers 360,000 hectares of land.

The vast open space means that the landscape is exposed with nothing to reduce windspeeds - as a result the desert is home to the Alta Wind Energy Center, also known as the Mohave Wind Farm. It has 600 turbines and is the USA's largest wind farm, and the third largest onshore wind energy project in the world.

The large rivers running through the region, such as the Colorado River, mean that some communities can get their energy generated by hydroelectric power, such as the enormous Hoover Dam constructed in the 1930s, which led to the formation of the Lake Mead reservoir - a store of water for the area.

There are also many opportunities to exploit fossil fuels in the Western Desert, for example oil drilling has taken place for over a century in Arizona on land owned by the Navajo people. In 1998 the Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company was established to benefit local Navajo communities, providing hundreds of jobs.

Farming in the Western Desert

Long hours of sunshine make favourable conditions for growing crops, and the fact that the USA is a high income country means that the issue of water supply can be managed through investment into irrigation, using aquifers and canals.

Aquifers are large stores of water trapped below the ground in rocks - this can be used by digging boreholes or wells, and is used to provide irrigation in California for vegetables, lemons and grapes, and therefore a very profitable wine industry.

Canals are used throughout the region for large-scale commercial agriculture, to produce crops such as wheat. In the state of Colorado farmers get 80% of the available water, despite agriculture only contributing 10% of the economy.

Tourism in the Western Desert

Tourism is the region's most important economic activity. There are many tourist attractions in the Western Desert, including...

• National parks, such as the Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree offer wild and spectacular scenery
• The Colorado Museum (in Arizona) which explores the culture and heritage of Native Americans
• The bright lights of Las Vegas - an entertainment hub which attracts over 37 million visitors annually
• Lake Mead and Lake Powell which are visited by over two million people a year, who come for sailing, power boating, water-skiing and fishing

• Great Western Desert
• Hot deserts
• Agriculture & Farming
• Subsistence farming

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