We explain what an arid climate is, what its characteristics are and what subtypes exist. In addition, examples of flora and fauna of environments with this climate.
Arid and desert areas represent 72% of the total land surface.
What is arid climate?
The arid climate is a type of climate that is characterized by having rainfall less than 500 millimeters per year. Its temperatures are very variable, since there are very warm regions with arid climates and others that are colder. Another characteristic is the high thermal amplitude: due to the lack of rain The temperature difference between day and night is usually very wide.
Arid climate represents approximately 35% of the Earth’s surface. It is found in extensive territories of North America and Oceania, in southern South America, in northern Africa and in sectors of Asia.
The fauna and flora that develop in this type of climate this adapted to arid conditions and low rainfall for much of the year. In addition, these are areas that tend to have very few inhabitants compared to other regions and many of them are practically uninhabited.
Characteristics of the arid climate
The arid climate is characterized by:
- Rainfall is scarce, with values less than 500 millimetres per year.
- The thermal amplitude between day and night is high.
- The environment has low humidity.
- The flora and fauna are scarce and show little variety (the species must be adapted to the lack of water).
- Maximum temperatures can reach 40 °C and minimum temperatures close to 0 °C.
- Its extension is extensive: it covers more than 35% of the Earth’s surface, in large regions of North America, Africa, Oceania and Asia.
Types of arid climate
The warm semi-arid arid climate ranges between mild winters and extreme summers.
According to the Köppen climate classification, there are four subtypes of arid climate:
- Warm semi-arid climate. Also called “warm steppe”, it has an average annual temperature above 18 °C. It is characterized by mild winters and very warm summers, with little rainfall that is between 300 and 500 millimeters per year. The vegetation and animals are adapted to extreme heat and lack of water.
- Temperate semi-arid climate – cold. It has similar characteristics to the warm semi-arid climate, with the difference that its temperatures do not exceed the annual average of 18 °C. Precipitation is also scarce, but its temperatures are lower, with very cold winters and mild summers. Plants and animals have adaptations to withstand water scarcity and low temperatures.
- Warm arid climate. Its rainfall is less than 300 millimeters per year and temperatures exceed 18 °C on average annually. It is characterized by mild winters and very hot summers, with temperatures that have reached the hottest temperatures on the planet. Flora and fauna are very scarce, and only a few animals and plants survive these conditions with adaptations to withstand the heat and the total lack of water throughout the year.
- Temperate arid climate – coldIt has characteristics similar to the warm arid climate, with the difference that its temperatures do not exceed 18 °C on average annually. Precipitation is also scarce, but its temperatures are lower, with very cold winters and mild summers. Plants and animals have adaptations to withstand water scarcity and low temperatures.
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most used to differentiate the types of climate that exist. According to this criterion, there are five major types of climates: tropical climate, arid or dry climate, temperate climate, continental climate and polar climate.
Arid climate location
The arid climate is distributed on the planet as follows:
- Warm semi-arid climate. It is found in northern Mexico and southern United States, the extreme east of Brazil and sectors of northern Argentina and southern Paraguay in America; in some sectors of central and southern Africa, in countries such as Namibia, Botswana, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya; in large sectors of India in Asia and in northern Australia, in Oceania.
- Temperate semi-arid climate – coldIt is found in large areas of central and northern United States and southern Argentina in America; in some areas of southern Africa in countries such as South Africa and Lesotho; in large sectors of Asia such as Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China in Asia and in southern Australia in Oceania.
- Warm arid climateIt is a climate that is widespread on the Earth’s surface. It is found in areas of northern Mexico and the southern United States in America; in much of northern Africa in countries such as Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, Chad, Morocco and Niger; in the Arabian Peninsula and other areas of Asia, in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan and in much of central Australia in Oceania.
- Temperate – cold arid climate. It is found in the Altiplano region in southern South America, in some sectors of southern Africa, mainly in South Africa and in the Himalayan region in Asia, in countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, China and Mongolia.
Flora and fauna of arid climate
In arid climate zones there are shrubs, thorny plants and cacti.
Plants found in arid climate zones have adaptations to survive water scarcitySome have very small leaves or spines instead of leaves that help them reduce water loss through evaporation and better capture moisture from the environment. Other plants have very long roots that are used to search for underground water. Cacti, such as the saguaro cactus or the cardón cactus, are examples of this type of vegetation.
As for fauna, there are animals that have developed adaptations to survive in the arid climate. Some animals They are active at night to avoid the heat of the day, and others have the ability to store water in their bodies, allowing them to survive long periods without having anything to drink. Camels and a wide variety of rodents, insects and snakes are typical of this type of environment.
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