Desert Phenomenology
In the movie Dune, we see the desert planet Arrakkis as a dry, inhospitable place where only the well-prepared, well-equipped and crafty can survive for longer than a moment. We also see the Fremen whose civilization has developed to live in harmony with the desert despite its harshness. This may appear to be fantasy or sci-fi storytelling, but it is actually closely based on Earth.
Deserts make up as much as one-third of the total area of Earth’s dry land. These are places where the total volume of moisture lost through evapotranspiration exceeds the amount gained through precipitation. Yet amazingly, these are not wastelands devoid of life…when in balance deserts support thriving ecosystems with a wide diversity of well-adapted species.
Humans, along with many other species, have adapted to life in and near the desert. In many ways deserts have shaped and formed some of the great human civilizations. If not for the desiccating air in Egypt, which preserves dead tissues much longer than they would last in humid regions, its ancient culture based on preparing for the afterlife would never have developed as it did, with its great tombs and preservation rituals. The Bedouin have a rich and long-lived culture based on the delicate balance of life in the desert, and can be easily seen as the basis for the Fremen in Dune.
Although desertification is a major problem due largely to human factors, we must act to protect and preserve the deserts Earth has always had. Deserts, while being rough and rugged, are the most delicate and fragile of the planet’s ecosystems because of the marginal moisture balances that are key to supporting life. While it’s easy to fall in love with non-arid forests and fields, we must learn to love our deserts and their ways if we aim to survive.
Here endeth the lesson on desert phenomenology.
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