THE PARK – ECOLOGY
Human survival on Earth depends on our ingenuity in using resources. We are part of an ecosystem that includes all the other living creatures and surrounding minerals. The Earth is the largest ecosystem, why is why it is known as the Biosphere.
The coral reefs are the most productive ecosystem on the planet; they are the largest natural structures that we know and consist of thousands of organisms making up a complex food chain.
The wadis of the desert in the east are an ecosystem with a delicate balance. The extremely arid environment affects all the creatures that live there, and they depend on one another for survival.
The change of climate in the region has forced wildlife to adapt to the searing heat. Organisms which have been unable to adapt have simply died out.
The species which have survived in the eastern desert are the most resistant and adaptable to the harsh conditions we find today.
Desert plant life is referred to as ‘ephemeral’, if it appears with the rain and disappears with the drought, or ‘perennial’, if it is drought-resistant through being able to absorb water in large quantities whilst losing very little, on account of a very extensive root system.
Perennials also shed their leaves and branches during periods of drought until more water arrives, like the Arak and the Acacia tortilis.
Desert animals also have their ways to adapt to the extreme heat. The Dorcas gazelle eat the roots of the trees that store the most water, and rest in the shade to avoid the direct glare of the sun’s rays. Camels can live for up to five days without drinking, even during the summer months. They can also reduce water loss by adjusting their body temperature between the day and the night. Camels do not pant, and they do not breathe through their mouths, to avoid fluid loss.
The camel conserves fat in its hump, which can be use to produce water when needed. Camels’ ears are hairy and their eyes have a double-layered eyebrow for protection from the desert sands. Their nostrils are shaped so as to prevent sand getting into the lungs. A camel can satisfy its thirst by drinking bitter water without damaging its kidneys.
A camel’s milk may contain as much as 90% water, which helps the newborn during the driest periods. Its hooves are strengthened with springy pads that help it to walk comfortably on the softest sands, just as snowshoes help us to walk on powder-fine snow.
A camel caravan can cover 60 km per day. Even the most advanced off-road vehicles cannot compete with them in the desert. This is why the camel is known as ‘the ship of the desert’.
