- On the history of the formation of the Great Salt Lake desert
- Climatic conditions
- Geology of the area
- Vegetation characteristics
- Interesting neighbor of the desert
For this geographic object, located in the state of Utah, there was not even a place name of its own. Although it is understandable why the Great Salt Lake desert got such a name, if you move west from this natural reservoir, you will very soon have to get to know the dull landscapes and characteristic climatic conditions.
On the history of the formation of the Great Salt Lake desert
Scientists are currently actively developing a version, according to which the appearance of the desert in the local territories is associated with the disappearance of a huge prehistoric lake, which is known as Bonneville.
Scientists suggest that the prehistoric body of water could occupy the territory located within the Great Basin, from the east covered by the Rocky Mountains. It is also believed that it has not disappeared completely, but is currently part of the Great Salt Lake.
The territories from which the water left are now occupied by a real desert, it is even difficult to believe that there were once completely different landscapes here. The Great Salt Lake Desert covers just over 10,000 square kilometers of Utah. The terrain is white, which is easy to explain to someone who knows the chemical composition of the soil. The high salt content is the main reason for this color.
This is not to say that the Great Salt Lake desert is completely lifeless and does not know the presence of a person. On the contrary, a high-speed highway has been laid through it, and a railway also passes through the desert territories. There are also two settlements in this region, most of the inhabitants live here - Daguey and Wendover. True, the total number of city dwellers barely reaches one and a half thousand people.
Climatic conditions
The Great Salt Lake Desert, like other desert areas concentrated in different regions of the Great Basin, is characterized by a sharply continental climate. There are also definitions - subtropical, arid.
It is clear that the amount of precipitation is insignificant, in rare years it reaches 200 mm, and this is still to be rejoiced at. In summer, hot dry weather sets in, the temperature regime is in the region of + 30 ° C and above. In winter, the temperature never drops below zero, most often it freezes at + 10 ° C.
The Great Salt Lake Desert belongs to the company of "cold deserts", the climatic conditions in which are radically different depending on the season.
Geology of the area
Volcanic rocks play an important role, while the processes of weathering and mechanical destruction of rocks are actively taking place. These processes are strongly influenced by the arid climate.
The absence of rivers, or rather, the fact that the water flows are few and do not reach the ocean, then the products obtained as a result of the destruction of rocks accumulate here, on the ground, cluttering the hollows.
Vegetation characteristics
In general, the territory of the Great Basin in terms of altitudinal zones of vegetation is divided into several levels:
- saltwort deserts;
- deserted steppes;
- pignon-juniper woodland;
- mountain bushes, the so-called subalpine meadows;
- alpine tundra.
Representatives of arid vegetation are typical for the territory of the Great Salt Lake Desert. Wormwoods reach the greatest development (the second name is wormwood scrub); well-drained soils are necessary for their normal development. There are low and black wormwood, desert currant, chamisa and a plant with a beautiful name - snowberry.
You can find perennials, Indian rice, Iodnik, which is a typical inhabitant of salt marshes and saline areas. There are so-called pasture bushes on the territory of the Great Salt Lake desert, among the most common are teresken. This is a perennial plant belonging to the family of the Haze, especially the ungulates, the inhabitants of these places, are fond of. Moreover, it can serve as food both in summer and in winter, the plant itself goes into hibernation, its upper parts (branches) die off, but, as before, serve as food for animals. Its main characteristic is the ability to survive on soils where groundwater or surface sources are completely absent.
Interesting neighbor of the desert
This is the Great Salt Lake, on the one hand, its dimensions are really impressive, on the other hand, its area constantly varies depending on climatic and weather conditions. The water in the lake is salty, and the salt level is quite high, the salt concentration cannot be changed by several large rivers flowing from the nearby Wasach Ridge.
The hot, dry climate leads to the fact that the evaporation process takes place actively in the summer. Because of this, the shores remain covered with salt and take on a whitish tint.
