Aridity facts for kids
Aridity is when a place has very little water. This lack of water makes it hard or impossible for plants and animals to grow and live there. Areas with arid climates usually have very few plants and are often called deserts. Many arid places are found near the Equator, including parts of Africa, Asia, South America, North America, and Australia.
How Aridity Changes Over Time
The amount of aridity in a region can change a lot over time. This is mostly due to how air moves around the Earth, which is called the general circulation of the atmosphere. This circulation can change significantly because of climate change.
For example, if the temperature in the Nile Basin (an area in Africa) goes up by 1.5 to 2.1 percent over the next 30 to 40 years, it could turn from a semi-arid (partially dry) area into a fully arid (very dry) one. This would greatly reduce the amount of land that can be used for agriculture (farming). Also, how people use land can affect how much water is in the soil, which can make an area more arid.
See Also
In Spanish: Aridez para niños
- Arid Forest Research Institute
- Aridity index
- Desert climate
- Desiccation tolerance
- Drought
- Humidity
- Vapor pressure
