The latitude and longitude of the Sahara Desert are 23.0797° N, 12.6123° E. Sahara Desert altitude is 2,730 feet. Water wells in the Acacus desert are marked on the EWP Jebel Acacus map. The average rainfall is between 0 and 25 mm per annum; scarce but brings the valleys life.
Lakes: there are several lakes in the desert, mostly in the Awbari Sand Sea. These are left over from, the ancient giant lake known as Megafezzan Lake. The origin of this water is usually a water table under the surface of the desert, which crosses the land surface where the lakes are located. There are huge water reserves under the Sahara as well.
The exterior of the desert ranges from large areas of sand dunes, to stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys, and salt flats. Several deeply analyzed mountain massifs rise from the desert areas, and are described as separate ecoregions. Vast underground aquifers are the basis to much of the region and sometimes pierce the surface, finalizing in oases.
The majority of the people living in the Sahara Desert are nomads, these people move from region to region in search of better living conditions. It is believed that the first nomadic peoples came to this region after domestic animals were introduced to the Sahara 7,000 years ago. Researchers believe that sheep and goats were introduced to the Sahara region by the Caspain culture of northern Africa. Many people lived in the Sahara before the conditions got too harsh. These nomads do agricultural and manual labor, there are tribes that settle in fertile areas near to oases and raise cereal crops, using camel manure as fuel.
The soils of the Sahara are low in organic matter, have only slightly distinguished horizons, and are usually not active, although nitrogen-fixing bacteria are existing in some areas. The soils in depressions are frequently saline. At the margins of the desert are soils carry more clusters of organic matter. Weatherable minerals are an essential ingredient of these soils, and chemically active expanding-lattice clays are common. Free carbonates are often present, indicating that little leaching has happened. Compact and indurated layers, or crusts, are forbidden to the northwestern section of the desert in coalition with calcareous bedrock. Fine materials, including deposits of diatomaceous earth, are limited to basins and depressions.
There are still some areas of the Sahara Desert that can be believed to be green. The Nile Valley is an area that is filled up of foliage, trees and other growing things. This area is an anomoly, because of the way it is fed by the Nile River. Another area of the Sahara that has some vegetation to it is in the North, along the Mediterranean, olive trees grow hugely. The Saharan highlands are also home to species of trees, such as the doum palm, date palm and oleander; as well as herbs such as thyme.
Saharan vegetation is scarce, with dispersed clusters of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. Varioushalophytes (salt-tolerant plants) are found in saline depressions. Some heat- and drought-tolerant grasses, herbs, small shrubs, and trees are found on the less well-watered plains and plateaus of the Sahara.The vegetation of the Sahara is noteworthy for its many unusual adaptations to unpredictable rainfall.
Saharan vegetation is scarce, with unevenly distributed clusters of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. Varioushalophytes (salt-tolerant plants) are found in saline depressions. Some heat and drought excepting grasses, herbs, small shrubs, and trees are found on the less watered plains and plateaus of the Sahara. The vegetation of the Sahara is worthy for its many unusual adaptations to unpredictable rainfall.
Lakes: there are several lakes in the desert, mostly in the Awbari Sand Sea. These are left over from, the ancient giant lake known as Megafezzan Lake. The origin of this water is usually a water table under the surface of the desert, which crosses the land surface where the lakes are located. There are huge water reserves under the Sahara as well.
The exterior of the desert ranges from large areas of sand dunes, to stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys, and salt flats. Several deeply analyzed mountain massifs rise from the desert areas, and are described as separate ecoregions. Vast underground aquifers are the basis to much of the region and sometimes pierce the surface, finalizing in oases.
The majority of the people living in the Sahara Desert are nomads, these people move from region to region in search of better living conditions. It is believed that the first nomadic peoples came to this region after domestic animals were introduced to the Sahara 7,000 years ago. Researchers believe that sheep and goats were introduced to the Sahara region by the Caspain culture of northern Africa. Many people lived in the Sahara before the conditions got too harsh. These nomads do agricultural and manual labor, there are tribes that settle in fertile areas near to oases and raise cereal crops, using camel manure as fuel.
The soils of the Sahara are low in organic matter, have only slightly distinguished horizons, and are usually not active, although nitrogen-fixing bacteria are existing in some areas. The soils in depressions are frequently saline. At the margins of the desert are soils carry more clusters of organic matter. Weatherable minerals are an essential ingredient of these soils, and chemically active expanding-lattice clays are common. Free carbonates are often present, indicating that little leaching has happened. Compact and indurated layers, or crusts, are forbidden to the northwestern section of the desert in coalition with calcareous bedrock. Fine materials, including deposits of diatomaceous earth, are limited to basins and depressions.
There are still some areas of the Sahara Desert that can be believed to be green. The Nile Valley is an area that is filled up of foliage, trees and other growing things. This area is an anomoly, because of the way it is fed by the Nile River. Another area of the Sahara that has some vegetation to it is in the North, along the Mediterranean, olive trees grow hugely. The Saharan highlands are also home to species of trees, such as the doum palm, date palm and oleander; as well as herbs such as thyme.
Saharan vegetation is scarce, with dispersed clusters of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. Varioushalophytes (salt-tolerant plants) are found in saline depressions. Some heat- and drought-tolerant grasses, herbs, small shrubs, and trees are found on the less well-watered plains and plateaus of the Sahara.The vegetation of the Sahara is noteworthy for its many unusual adaptations to unpredictable rainfall.
Saharan vegetation is scarce, with unevenly distributed clusters of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. Varioushalophytes (salt-tolerant plants) are found in saline depressions. Some heat and drought excepting grasses, herbs, small shrubs, and trees are found on the less watered plains and plateaus of the Sahara. The vegetation of the Sahara is worthy for its many unusual adaptations to unpredictable rainfall.
Information from: http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/sahara.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/16645/the_land/saha_pf.shtml
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/516375/Sahara/37012/Soils
http://EzineArticles.com/290204
http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/desert/tribe.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/516375/Sahara/37014/Plant-life
PHOTO: http://www.hotelyasminamerzouga.com/sahara-desert-morocco-africa.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/16645/the_land/saha_pf.shtml
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/516375/Sahara/37012/Soils
http://EzineArticles.com/290204
http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/desert/tribe.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/516375/Sahara/37014/Plant-life
PHOTO: http://www.hotelyasminamerzouga.com/sahara-desert-morocco-africa.html