Difference between revisions of "Arid"
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==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
| − | French or [[Latin]]; French aride, from Latin aridus, from arēre to be dry; akin to [[Sanskrit]] āsa ash, [ | + | French or [[Latin]]; French aride, from Latin aridus, from arēre to be dry; akin to [[Sanskrit]] āsa ash, [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] asce |
| − | *Date: [ | + | *Date: [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/17th_Century 1652] |
==Definitions== | ==Definitions== | ||
*1 : excessively dry; specifically : having insufficient rainfall to [[support]] [[agriculture]] | *1 : excessively dry; specifically : having insufficient rainfall to [[support]] [[agriculture]] | ||
*2 : lacking in interest and life : jejune | *2 : lacking in interest and life : jejune | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
| − | A region is said to be '''arid''' when it is characterized by a severe lack of available [[water]], to the extent of hindering or even preventing the [[growth]] and [[development]] of [[plant]] and [[animal]] life. As a result, [[environments]] subject to arid [[climates]] tend to lack [[vegetation]] and are called [ | + | A region is said to be '''arid''' when it is characterized by a severe lack of available [[water]], to the extent of hindering or even preventing the [[growth]] and [[development]] of [[plant]] and [[animal]] life. As a result, [[environments]] subject to arid [[climates]] tend to lack [[vegetation]] and are called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deserts_and_xeric_shrublands xeric] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert desertic]. |
| − | The [[expression]] 'available water' refers to [[water]] in the [[soil]] in excess to the wilting point. The [[air]] over a hot desert may actually contain substantial amounts of [[water]] [[vapor]] but that water may not be generally accessible to [[plants]], except for very specialized [[organisms]] (such as some species of [ | + | The [[expression]] 'available water' refers to [[water]] in the [[soil]] in excess to the wilting point. The [[air]] over a hot desert may actually contain substantial amounts of [[water]] [[vapor]] but that water may not be generally accessible to [[plants]], except for very specialized [[organisms]] (such as some species of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen lichen]). 'Lack of water' refers to use by [[plants]]. The water that is actually present in the [[environment]] may be sufficient for some [[species]] or usages (such as climax vegetation), and grossly insufficient for others. Aridity, the characteristic [[nature]] of an arid [[climate]], may thus depend on the use of the [[land]]. Regards to the [[presence]] of life, what is more important than the [[degree]] of rainfall is the [[fraction]] of [[precipitation]] that is not quickly lost through [[evaporation]] or runoff. Attempts to [[quantitatively]] describe the [[degree]] of aridity of a place has often led to the development of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aridity_index aridity indexes]. There is no [[universal]] [[agreement]] on the precise boundaries between [[classes]] such as 'hyper-arid', 'arid', 'semi-arid', etc. |
==Geographic Distribution== | ==Geographic Distribution== | ||
| − | If [[different]] classification [[schemes]] and maps differ in their details, there is a general [[agreement]] about the [[fact]] that large areas of the [[Earth]] are considered arid. These include the hot [[desert]]s located broadly in sub-tropical regions, where the accumulation of water is largely prevented by either low [[precipitation]]s, or high [[evaporation]], or both, as well as cold deserts near the poles, where water may be permanently locked in solid forms (snow and ice). Other arid regions include areas located in the [ | + | If [[different]] classification [[schemes]] and maps differ in their details, there is a general [[agreement]] about the [[fact]] that large areas of the [[Earth]] are considered arid. These include the hot [[desert]]s located broadly in sub-tropical regions, where the accumulation of water is largely prevented by either low [[precipitation]]s, or high [[evaporation]], or both, as well as cold deserts near the poles, where water may be permanently locked in solid forms (snow and ice). Other arid regions include areas located in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_shadow rain shadows] of major [[mountain]] ranges or along coastal regions affected by significant upwelling (such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert Atacama Desert]).[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aridity] |
[[Category: Geography]] | [[Category: Geography]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:41, 12 December 2020
Etymology
French or Latin; French aride, from Latin aridus, from arēre to be dry; akin to Sanskrit āsa ash, Old English asce
- Date: 1652
Definitions
- 1 : excessively dry; specifically : having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture
- 2 : lacking in interest and life : jejune
Description
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. As a result, environments subject to arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic.
The expression 'available water' refers to water in the soil in excess to the wilting point. The air over a hot desert may actually contain substantial amounts of water vapor but that water may not be generally accessible to plants, except for very specialized organisms (such as some species of lichen). 'Lack of water' refers to use by plants. The water that is actually present in the environment may be sufficient for some species or usages (such as climax vegetation), and grossly insufficient for others. Aridity, the characteristic nature of an arid climate, may thus depend on the use of the land. Regards to the presence of life, what is more important than the degree of rainfall is the fraction of precipitation that is not quickly lost through evaporation or runoff. Attempts to quantitatively describe the degree of aridity of a place has often led to the development of aridity indexes. There is no universal agreement on the precise boundaries between classes such as 'hyper-arid', 'arid', 'semi-arid', etc.
Geographic Distribution
If different classification schemes and maps differ in their details, there is a general agreement about the fact that large areas of the Earth are considered arid. These include the hot deserts located broadly in sub-tropical regions, where the accumulation of water is largely prevented by either low precipitations, or high evaporation, or both, as well as cold deserts near the poles, where water may be permanently locked in solid forms (snow and ice). Other arid regions include areas located in the rain shadows of major mountain ranges or along coastal regions affected by significant upwelling (such as the Atacama Desert).[1]
