Dasht-e Kavir | ||
Dasht-e Kavir Dasht-e Kavir, also known as Kavir-e Namak or Great Salt Desert, is a large desert in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 kilometers long and 320 kilometers wide with a total area of about 77,600 square kilometers, making it the Earth’s 23rd largest desert. This desert stretches from the Alborz mountain range in the northwest to Dasht-e Lut in the southeast and is shared by the provinces of Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd. Dasht-e Kavir is named after the salt marshes located there, Travelsradiate.com wrote. Desert Characteristics A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than 400 millimeters. A common definition distinguishes between true deserts, which receive less than 250 millimeters of average annual precipitation, and semi-deserts or steppes, which receive between 250 millimeters and 400 to 500 millimeters. Deserts can also be described as areas where more water is lost by evapo-transpiration than falls as precipitation. In the Koppen climate classification system, deserts are classed as BWh (hot desert) or BWk (temperate desert). In the Thornthwaite climate classification system, deserts are classified as arid mega-thermal climates. Climate and Landscape Dasht-e Kavir is almost rainless and the area is very arid. Temperatures can reach 50°C in summer, and the average temperature in January is 22°C. Day and night temperatures during a year can differ up to 70°C. Rain usually falls in winter. The desert soil is covered with sand and pebbles, though it also has marshes. The hot temperatures cause extreme vaporization, which leave the marshes and mud grounds with large crusts of salt. Heavy storms frequently occur and they cause sand-hills reaching up to 40 meters in height. Some parts of Dasht- e Kavir have a more steppe-like appearance. Wildlife Vegetation in the Dasht-e Kavir is adapted to the hot and arid climate as well as to the saline soil in which it is rooted. Common plant species like shrubs and grasses can only be found in some valleys and on mountain tops. The most widespread plant is mugwort. The Persian ground jay is a bird species found in some parts of the desert plateaus, along with Houbara bustards, larks and sand grouses. Persian gazelles live in parts of steppe and desert areas of the central plateau. Wild sheep, goats and leopards are common in mountainous areas. Night life brings on wild cats, wolves, foxes and other carnivores. In some parts of the desert, the Persian onager (‘gur’ in Persian) and sometimes even the Asiatic Cheetah can be seen. Lizards and snakes live in different parts of the central plateau. Other Features The extreme heat and regular storms in Dasht-e Kavir cause extensive erosion, which makes it almost impossible to cultivate the lands. The desert is almost uninhabited and has witnessed little exploitation. Camel and sheep breeding and agriculture are the main sources of living for the few people living there. Human settlement is restricted to some oases, where wind-blocking housing constructions are raised to deal with the harsh weather conditions. For irrigation, the residents have developed a sophisticated system of underground aqueducts known as qanats. These are still in use and the modern globally-used water systems are based on their techniques. One of the most desolate places in Dasht-e Kavir is Rig-e Jenn. Though measures have been taken to promote tourism through desert trekking and astronomical trips, their success is limited by inadequate infrastructure investment and poor publicity. | ||
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