When people discuss deserts, it’s easy to imagine an endless inland expanse of sand. But deserts can form over coasts too. Cold currents in the tropics will cause cold air to move along the western coastlines of continents. This cold air doesn’t rise upward to form clouds, and instead stays in a stable fog layer. This low cloud formation limits rainfall along the coasts, forming Coastal Deserts. Coastal deserts are cooler and more stable climates than other deserts, and the fog moisture creates fertile conditions for unique organism evolution. Famous coastal deserts include the Namib Desert (pictured) in southern Africa and the Atacama Desert in Chile.
It’s easy to assume coastlines are permanently static. However, the sea can advance over land either through sea level rise, land subsidence, or both. This process is known as Marine Transgression. Jakarta, the largest city in Indonesia, is a prime example of this.
“How do we classify tiny water organisms that drift instead of swim?”
We hear about plankton when discussing water environments. But what exactly are they? Well, Plankton are small organisms that drift with water currents instead of swimming against them. There are plankton in all of the major biological kingdoms, ranging in size from microscopic bacteria to massive jellyfish. Plankton are a vital part of the Earth’s water ecosystem.
Flood vents protect building foundations during storms by channelling stormwater through a designated path. People can install flood vents in their garages to create Garage Flood Vents. Garage flood vents are typically installed low on exterior walls to let rising water in and receding water out.
Creatures at the base of a food chain use primary production and photosynthesis to create new biomass. Phytoplankton, or plankton that use photosynthesis, are one of these creatures. Phytoplankton are responsible for around half of all oxygen production and photosynthetic activity despite composing only 1 percent of all biomass. Phytoplankton typically congregate in the photic zone since they require sunlight. Phytoplankton also require inorganic nutrients to survive, which is why they’re not commonly found in oceanic deserts.
“How does nutrient-rich water move from the ocean floor to the surface?”
Wind can blow coastal water away from land as a consequence of the Coriolis effect. Cold, nutrient-dense water from the ocean floor will move to the surface to replace the displaced water. This Ocean Upwelling drastically changes ecosystems by providing rich nutrients to the surface and cooling the surrounding environment. Famous coastlines that experience upwelling include Northern California and Namibia.
“How can we have deserts in the middle of the ocean?”
When people talk about deserts, images of dry, sandy land without a drop of water in sight for kilometers typically come to mind. But what if oceans had their own deserts? Well, in the center of ocean gyres, the circulating ocean currents lead to perpetual high-pressure atmospheric systems that practically eliminate rain production. Furthermore, the rotating gyre and warm surface water prevent nutrient-rich deep water from rising to the surface. This provides limited food for phytoplankton to grow, severely limiting the biological productivity potential of the region. The lack of rainfall and biological productivity result in Oceanic Deserts. Oceanic deserts are typically located in tropical and subtropical latitudes within gyres. Their surfaces are colored a rich blue because of the lack of heavy phytoplankton populations.
It’s easy to think submerged wood will rot quickly. But in many such cases, the underwater environment lacks the oxygen amount necessary to power the fungi and aerobic bacteria that would rot it, leading to wood preservation. This is Why Submerged Wood May Not Rot. Cities built on reclaimed land like Amsterdam literally rest on this principle.
“Why do some coastal communities flood without storms?”
When people discuss tidal flooding, it’s easy to think it only happens during severe storms. However, high tides on bright, sunny days can lead to flooding as well. These Sunny Day Flooding events will become more common as sea levels rise from climate change.
