And unlike what one might think, there's life in the Sahara. The desert landscape sponsoring heat conceals a dreamlike world of strange animals in some strange way have learned to adapt and not found anywhere else. From the diminutive ørkenræv with the big ears and its arch-rival sand cat, the world's smallest wild cat. For the most toxic long, strong tiger beetle, the graceful and beautiful dorcasgazelle ørkenlos and his worst competitor; eagle.



Except for the few days a year where the famous Paris-Dakar motorcycle races are held and Shahara therefore is filled with motorcycles and trucks are the preferred mode of transport still to this day camel and there are also still nomads and caravan. They travel thousands of miles through the desert and is vital for desert dwellers. Millet, dates, and especially salt are the most coveted commodities.

Every day the caravan on the road for 18 hours - otherwise, will betray give out. 60 km a day traveling it. Everything takes place in time - even tebrygning and cooking. Once darkness had fallen, navigating officer on the stars, and only 11 o'clock in the evening can start the caravan to camp. Caravan is frequently at the mercy of the driver's mercy. If he becomes ill during the trip, the caravan is lost, because only he can navigate through the uniform desert landscape.


Other deserts


A desert is the designation for rural areas with low rainfall but high temperatures and evaporation. The vegetation is very frugal, or not present. The most famous deserts are the Sahara, Kalahari, Gobi and Death Valley. These are all hot, dry areas, but there are also other types of desert.

It runs a huge coherent desert through the Sahara to the Arabian peninsula to the south of Iran and Pakistan. Other desert areas in the western United States, at the South American Pacific Coast, in Namibia and the western and central parts of Australia. Gobi Desert in Mongolia occupies a special position in relation to the others in that it lies between 35 and 50 º north.

Some deserts because the soil is toxic to plants. In particular, a high content of salt kill vegetation. Salt Deserts can occur if you use seawater for irrigation. There are also deserts in the Arctic. Here it is temperature rather than lack of water, limiting vegetation.

SALT desert

SAND desert

               In a desert precipitation is typically much less than potential evaporation. This means that the temperature will rise during the day and fall at night. Water has a high heat capacity and can thus contain much energy, so if there is much water in an area will the temperature difference between night and day can be lower. The limited rainfall in a desert means that there will not be enough water to reduce temperature fluctuations, and there will not be enough water for effective photosynthesis. Therefore there will be limited vegetation and large temperature differences between night and day.


Plants absorb energy from the sun for photosynthesis through some openings, called stomata (stomata). When the temperature of the stomata becomes too high, they closed and photosynthesis stops. To keep the temperature down (and photosynthesis in time) the plant will try to draw water up from the ground by the roots and up to stomata, where it then evaporates, and thereby cools the plant.

With cactus absorbed CO2 through stomata at night, after which they can be kept closed during the day. It reduces fluid requirements dramatically, and allows cacti to grow in desert areas where other plants may give up. Since there was therefore no basis for agriculture in deserts, most cultures nomadic desert societies, however, with a few isolated urban culture based on commerce.