When we talk about deserts, we certainly first think of the Sahara. Yes, this is the largest desert on our planet, but it turns out that our continent also has a desert, although a little different from most.
Iceland is an island country in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is famous for both the northern lights and its numerous volcanoes. And, it turns out, it is there that the largest and most active desert in Europe is located.
Over 44 thousand sq. km. of sandy deserts with active processes taking place in them. They are composed not of sand like that in the Sahara, but of black, which is of basaltic origin, with large impurities of volcanic glass. This sand, which covers the vast surfaces, comes from glacial-river deposits and volcanic eruptions, but also from the collapse of sedimentary rocks.
This large area of Iceland, which today has a desert character, was forested centuries ago. The country has long been experiencing a process that the UN calls “desertification.” It is the transformation of areas with lush vegetation into sandy landscapes due to climate change. And the organization believes that this is “among the greatest environmental challenges of our time.”
So, today’s desert areas were birch forests when the Vikings settled on the island. Over the years, the landscape has continued to deteriorate due to improper land management, and today only 2% of Iceland’s territory is covered in forests. Policies are now being implemented to double this percentage by 2050.
Meanwhile, the desert areas of the island country, covered in black sand, affect the climate of the entire continent. We often hear about winds that carry Saharan sand from thousands of kilometers away. But it is not uncommon for them to also carry Icelandic sand. Evidence of its presence has even been found in samples taken in Serbia, Euronews writes.
Dust storms, with this “high-latitude dust”, reach different parts of continental Europe. And it turns out that they have an effect on the climate because they are dark and absorb sunlight, which leads to warming of the earth’s surface and air. And when this black sand forms a layer, even just a centimeter thick, on glaciers, it leads to their melting. In addition, it is a serious air pollutant, which also plays the role of a cause of climate change, especially in regions with glaciers. Under the melted ice blocks there is an “unlimited source of dust”, which makes the warming processes really difficult to control. And we all see the results of them.
Illustrative Photo by Adrien Olichon: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-photography-of-sand-2387819/
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First published in this link of The European Times.
