aridlands

Aridlands is a term used in geography and ecology to describe landscapes characterized by low precipitation and high potential evapotranspiration. It covers true deserts as well as semi-arid regions and is not tied to a single political area. Aridlands span parts of many continents and include prominent regions such as the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula, the Sahel, the Gobi, the Mojave, the Australian Outback, and the Patagonian steppe.

Climatically, aridlands typically receive less than 250–500 millimeters of rainfall annually, though the threshold varies with local evaporation rates. They exhibit high temperature ranges, intense solar radiation, and often strong winds. Soils are frequently shallow and saline, with sparse organic matter. Vegetation is sparse and dominated by drought-tolerant species; animal life includes camels, foxes, gerbils, and various lizards and birds.

Water scarcity shapes land use and settlement patterns. Many areas rely on groundwater, oases, or ephemeral rivers. Traditional technologies include wells, qanats, and windcatchers, while modern aridlands can employ drip irrigation and desalination. Economic activity centers on pastoralism, mining, energy production, and, in some places, agriculture in irrigated belts and urban services near water sources.

Environmental pressures such as climate change, desertification, and biodiversity loss pose challenges. Conservation approaches emphasize sustainable water management, dryland restoration, soil conservation, and the protection of adaptive species. The Aridlands concept supports research on dust transport, carbon and nutrient cycling in dry soils, and resilience strategies for human communities.