The Positive And Negative Impact Of The Gobi Desert
Deep in the land of what is now northern and nonwestern China, along with present day southern Mongolia, lies the cradle of something extraordinary: The Gobi Desert. Today this geographic land mark takes up an astonishing 1,000 mi from southwest to the northeast end and 500 miles from north to south. It has many different variations of names from the Chinese, sometimes reffered to instead as "Shamo" or as "Hanhai" which translates to endless sea. Today the Gobi desert is home to many different types of wildlife that inhabit its cold climate, unlike that of a typical desert. The Gobi Desert is even known for its fossils and being the very first desert to have found the remnants of an ancient dinosaur egg. Everyday the Gobi continues to grow larger in size which has become quite a concern to the people of China and Mongolia. The Gobi desert has a huge impact on the region it is apart of, it also has affected those around it both positively and negatively. The Gobi Desert has an
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interesting climate from that of what comes to mind when people hear the word "desert." Rather than being full of hot, dry, arid unbearable heat every single day, the Gobi is different. Its temperatures have been recorded changing an entire 60 degrees ferheineit in a small 24 hour time span. Summer in the Gobi can be as hot as 122 degrees, while in the winter the temperature has been known to drop to well below -40 degrees. On some occasions there is even snow along with frost that cover the dunes in the desert when the cold change in weather occurs. Annually, the Gobi gets around 7.6 inches of rainfall. The southeastern part of the desert has monsoons every now and then. The winter in the Gobi is rough because the low drops in temperature can create snowstorms, along with sandstorms. For the entire year average, the temperature of the Gobi is a mere 37 degrees. In July when other deserts would be at an all time heat wave, the average temperature in the Gobi is only about 66 degrees farhenheit. Most of the Gobi Desert is also rock where most deserts consist of sand. However, despite the radical and unpredictable climate of the Gobi, wildlife not common to the rest of the world is happy to call it their home. Many rare and even some endangered species can be found in the harsh climate of the Gobi desert. The snow leopard is one of them, but unfortunately its numbers are diminishing because of pouching for its rare fur seen as a luxourious asset. Other animals that can be found in the desert are the Gobi Bear, grey wolves, takhi (a horse,) oxen, gazelles, and even the golden eagle calls the Gobi its home. However, there is one animal in particular that is very unique to the region. The Bactrian Camel only lives in the Gobi and is different from any other camel in the world because it has not only one hump, but two. These camels have been a huge asset to people of the Gobi because they can carry a whooping 1000 pound for up to as much as 30 miles. Sadly, there are less than 300 of these rare animals left in the wild. The Gobi desert is fifth biggest desert in the whole world. There are five different regions that make up the landmark. They are the Alashan Plateau, The Gobi Lakes Vally desert steppe, the Dzungarian Basin, the Tian Shane range, and the Eastern Gobi desert steppe. The Eastern Gobi Steppe is to the eastern region taking up an entire 281,800 square kilometers of land. The area harbors tons of salt ponds, and also contains the Yin Mountains. Next is the Gobi Lakes desert steppe which is near the Khangai Mountains and north of what is called the Alashan Plateau. The Dzungarian Basian semi desert lies in the middle of the Tian Shan range and the Altai mountains. Lastly, the semi desert of the Alashan Plateau is located near the southwest of the Gobi and has many low lying mountain ranges. Each part of the Gobi is slightly different from one another as far as the landscape and climate. For centuries the Gobi Desert has had a large impact on ancient history. Humans have crossed through its vast landscape for ages such as the ancient nomads. History in the Gobi starts dating back to the start of the 20th century when it was under control of Manchu-China. Humans roaming the Gobi start back with the Mongols and their Empire, then the Uughurs, the Kazakhs and lastly the Tajiks, and the Kyrgyz. During the turn of the 20th century there were three missionaries by the names of Mildred, Eva, and Franchesca Cable who headed to the Gobi after years of doing missionary work in China. Colleagues they had known told them they thought they were old fools and simply ridiculous for their expedition. They traveled over the course of months by ox carts. As they traveled through the Gobi they made trips to the poor, helping the sick, feeding many, and educating girls in the region. There were times where they were caught in war zones, stuck in even blizzards, and last but not least approached by bandits. Mildred Cable left the Gobi with a sense of enlightenment, and her exact words were, " Only a fool crosses the great Gobi without misgivings. In this trackless waste, where every restriction is removed and where you are beckoned and lured in all directions… One narrow way is the only road for you. In the great and terrible wilderness, push on with eyes blinded to the deluding mirage, your ears deaf to the call of the seducer, and your mind un-diverted from the goal." After their work and expedition of the vast land the Gobi March was founded in Mildred and her sisters honor. Today life for the Gobi has a major environmental issue thats currently being dealt with by the Mongolians and Chinese who share this world renown land mark. Desertification poses a major threat to the land. This is when a region becomes overly dry, very arid, and it loses its sources of water such as a body of water. It also effects the vegetation and wildlife of the region. Research has found the cause of dersetification to be a result of things such as climate change, and various human activities. It is a growing environmental problem and concern for the Gobi desert. There are around 400 million people in China alone that are affected by what is going on today in the Gobi. The Gobi's specific cause of deforestation included poor farming policies, not enough rainfall, and deforestation. The Gobi desert has started to expand and devour what is currently grassland. It is also starting to expand further into Mongolia, since the desert prodimiatly takes up space in China. Tsognamsrai a project officer who is with the UNDP, a native Mongolian, said that the Gobi's spread affects a huge 70 percent of what he calls his territory. Ecologists today in the region are working hard to solve the problem. From the 1990's to present day, natives to the Gobi and its out skirts have been forced to leave and find new homes with greener pastures as desertification gets worse. Natives say there are an increase in sandstorms so people's allergies have even worsened as a consequence. Also the population of goats have increased which is even worse for the land because a goats natural diet is grass which is already diminishing to begin with, not helping the problem. Herding goats has been practiced for centuries in the Gobi starting with the nomads so ecologists don't think decreasing the goat population is a good route to take in fixing the problem and that there are other solutions. People have been encouraged to grow crops now in the area as one way to solve the problem. Cabbages, potatoes, and carrots are only some of the vegetables being grown. The spread of green on the land helps halt the spreading of desert. Also Chinese ecologists are currently working to plant tons of trees all around the outskirts of the Gobi. They hope this will also aid the fight against deforestation. Plants also give the land moisture which can help revive some of the wildlife and plants that are native to the Gobi. Desertification is obviously a huge problem as well as a negative impact to the people who live there.
Other negative impacts include the isolation the desert has caused for those who live in China, forcing most natives to live in the east which harbors more fertile land. However, the Gobi desert has had a positive impact on the region as well. The desert is known for its fossils. There are numerous types of dinosaurs that have been discovered in the desert's ancient remains. The Oviraptor is one species that was specifically found in the Gobi. The fossil was so well intact that the remains were found sitting on top of what was a nest of eggs that were fossilized as well. The desert is also very world renown as it is the fifth largest in the world, its brought multiple types of research and attention to the region. Also, recent studies have found possible gold and copper deposits in the Gobi. Although most of the Gobi's impacts on the population are negative there are a few
positives. The Gobi desert is unique and certainly one of the hidden wonders of the world. It is extremely unique with is climate variations and rare wildlife only native to the area. It also brings desertification into perspective and how we can not only solve the problem there but in other deserts experiencing the same problem as well. The desert has been both an asset and sometimes a curse to its natives. It should be rather incrusting to watch the region over the next century and watch as the large environmental problem it faces today improves.
interesting climate from that of what comes to mind when people hear the word "desert." Rather than being full of hot, dry, arid unbearable heat every single day, the Gobi is different. Its temperatures have been recorded changing an entire 60 degrees ferheineit in a small 24 hour time span. Summer in the Gobi can be as hot as 122 degrees, while in the winter the temperature has been known to drop to well below -40 degrees. On some occasions there is even snow along with frost that cover the dunes in the desert when the cold change in weather occurs. Annually, the Gobi gets around 7.6 inches of rainfall. The southeastern part of the desert has monsoons every now and then. The winter in the Gobi is rough because the low drops in temperature can create snowstorms, along with sandstorms. For the entire year average, the temperature of the Gobi is a mere 37 degrees. In July when other deserts would be at an all time heat wave, the average temperature in the Gobi is only about 66 degrees farhenheit. Most of the Gobi Desert is also rock where most deserts consist of sand. However, despite the radical and unpredictable climate of the Gobi, wildlife not common to the rest of the world is happy to call it their home. Many rare and even some endangered species can be found in the harsh climate of the Gobi desert. The snow leopard is one of them, but unfortunately its numbers are diminishing because of pouching for its rare fur seen as a luxourious asset. Other animals that can be found in the desert are the Gobi Bear, grey wolves, takhi (a horse,) oxen, gazelles, and even the golden eagle calls the Gobi its home. However, there is one animal in particular that is very unique to the region. The Bactrian Camel only lives in the Gobi and is different from any other camel in the world because it has not only one hump, but two. These camels have been a huge asset to people of the Gobi because they can carry a whooping 1000 pound for up to as much as 30 miles. Sadly, there are less than 300 of these rare animals left in the wild. The Gobi desert is fifth biggest desert in the whole world. There are five different regions that make up the landmark. They are the Alashan Plateau, The Gobi Lakes Vally desert steppe, the Dzungarian Basin, the Tian Shane range, and the Eastern Gobi desert steppe. The Eastern Gobi Steppe is to the eastern region taking up an entire 281,800 square kilometers of land. The area harbors tons of salt ponds, and also contains the Yin Mountains. Next is the Gobi Lakes desert steppe which is near the Khangai Mountains and north of what is called the Alashan Plateau. The Dzungarian Basian semi desert lies in the middle of the Tian Shan range and the Altai mountains. Lastly, the semi desert of the Alashan Plateau is located near the southwest of the Gobi and has many low lying mountain ranges. Each part of the Gobi is slightly different from one another as far as the landscape and climate. For centuries the Gobi Desert has had a large impact on ancient history. Humans have crossed through its vast landscape for ages such as the ancient nomads. History in the Gobi starts dating back to the start of the 20th century when it was under control of Manchu-China. Humans roaming the Gobi start back with the Mongols and their Empire, then the Uughurs, the Kazakhs and lastly the Tajiks, and the Kyrgyz. During the turn of the 20th century there were three missionaries by the names of Mildred, Eva, and Franchesca Cable who headed to the Gobi after years of doing missionary work in China. Colleagues they had known told them they thought they were old fools and simply ridiculous for their expedition. They traveled over the course of months by ox carts. As they traveled through the Gobi they made trips to the poor, helping the sick, feeding many, and educating girls in the region. There were times where they were caught in war zones, stuck in even blizzards, and last but not least approached by bandits. Mildred Cable left the Gobi with a sense of enlightenment, and her exact words were, " Only a fool crosses the great Gobi without misgivings. In this trackless waste, where every restriction is removed and where you are beckoned and lured in all directions… One narrow way is the only road for you. In the great and terrible wilderness, push on with eyes blinded to the deluding mirage, your ears deaf to the call of the seducer, and your mind un-diverted from the goal." After their work and expedition of the vast land the Gobi March was founded in Mildred and her sisters honor. Today life for the Gobi has a major environmental issue thats currently being dealt with by the Mongolians and Chinese who share this world renown land mark. Desertification poses a major threat to the land. This is when a region becomes overly dry, very arid, and it loses its sources of water such as a body of water. It also effects the vegetation and wildlife of the region. Research has found the cause of dersetification to be a result of things such as climate change, and various human activities. It is a growing environmental problem and concern for the Gobi desert. There are around 400 million people in China alone that are affected by what is going on today in the Gobi. The Gobi's specific cause of deforestation included poor farming policies, not enough rainfall, and deforestation. The Gobi desert has started to expand and devour what is currently grassland. It is also starting to expand further into Mongolia, since the desert prodimiatly takes up space in China. Tsognamsrai a project officer who is with the UNDP, a native Mongolian, said that the Gobi's spread affects a huge 70 percent of what he calls his territory. Ecologists today in the region are working hard to solve the problem. From the 1990's to present day, natives to the Gobi and its out skirts have been forced to leave and find new homes with greener pastures as desertification gets worse. Natives say there are an increase in sandstorms so people's allergies have even worsened as a consequence. Also the population of goats have increased which is even worse for the land because a goats natural diet is grass which is already diminishing to begin with, not helping the problem. Herding goats has been practiced for centuries in the Gobi starting with the nomads so ecologists don't think decreasing the goat population is a good route to take in fixing the problem and that there are other solutions. People have been encouraged to grow crops now in the area as one way to solve the problem. Cabbages, potatoes, and carrots are only some of the vegetables being grown. The spread of green on the land helps halt the spreading of desert. Also Chinese ecologists are currently working to plant tons of trees all around the outskirts of the Gobi. They hope this will also aid the fight against deforestation. Plants also give the land moisture which can help revive some of the wildlife and plants that are native to the Gobi. Desertification is obviously a huge problem as well as a negative impact to the people who live there.
Other negative impacts include the isolation the desert has caused for those who live in China, forcing most natives to live in the east which harbors more fertile land. However, the Gobi desert has had a positive impact on the region as well. The desert is known for its fossils. There are numerous types of dinosaurs that have been discovered in the desert's ancient remains. The Oviraptor is one species that was specifically found in the Gobi. The fossil was so well intact that the remains were found sitting on top of what was a nest of eggs that were fossilized as well. The desert is also very world renown as it is the fifth largest in the world, its brought multiple types of research and attention to the region. Also, recent studies have found possible gold and copper deposits in the Gobi. Although most of the Gobi's impacts on the population are negative there are a few
positives. The Gobi desert is unique and certainly one of the hidden wonders of the world. It is extremely unique with is climate variations and rare wildlife only native to the area. It also brings desertification into perspective and how we can not only solve the problem there but in other deserts experiencing the same problem as well. The desert has been both an asset and sometimes a curse to its natives. It should be rather incrusting to watch the region over the next century and watch as the large environmental problem it faces today improves.