Place::Desert (More coming soon! This is an outline)

You Are Here

Welcome to the desert, tips for newcomers, info, and maps (geographical, topographical, bioregional, indigenous land, political, resource, watershed, Native Land, DeColonization Atlas, rain/temperature graphs)

What is a desert?

Climate, temperature, elevation, rainfall, plant communities

World deserts

See Maps, cold/hot deserts, latitudes

Aridamerica/US SW

4 major N American deserts: Great Basin, Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mohave

Climate trends, extremes, drought patterns

The Sonoran Desert

~200,000 sq mi; spread over 2 countries and 5 states (CA, AZ, Baja CA Sud, Baja CA Norte, and Sonora MX), with 6 biotic subdivisions. Most lush and biodiverse desert on the planet, most food plants, 2 (vs typical 1) rainy seasons, with tropical roots.

AZ uplands subdivision, one of six subdivisions

Including the Tucson area, and characterized by saguaro-bean tree forests, Uplands anchors the northeastern edge of the huge Sonoran Desert

6 subdivisions

Sky Islands

Biotic communities from desert floor @2000' to alpine forests @9000'

Other nearby biotic communities:

Other Sonoran Desert subdivisions (ie Colorado River Basin, Plains of Sonora MX), other desert biomes (Mohave, Chihuahuan), Aridlands-adapted, introduced

Climate crisis and solutions

Permaculture principles prioritizing site design for passive solar orientation, rainwater and greywater harvesting, food forests plantings for food and water security and shade/cooling, alternative energy

Soul of Place

Literature, poetry,