The Empty Quarter desert is the largest continuous sandy surface area on Earth, where the grains of sand sparkle with their strong colors and varying shades under the sun rays. It looks like an endless sea of sand, carrying the tales of many travelers and explorers deep within. It is believed that the remains of the ancient city of “Iram”, the capital of the civilization of the people of Ad mentioned in the Holy Quran, are buried under the sands of this desert.
It was named “Empty Quarter” because it resembles almost the quarter of the Arabian Peninsula, and “Empty” because it is relatively devoid of life and human presence, except for some nomadic Bedouins.
The Empty Quarter is part of the Arabian Desert, extending across four countries: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Yemen and the Sultanate of Oman. Its area is about 650,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of France, according to World Atlas data.
Geologists have offered multiple explanations for how this huge amount of sand accumulated in that region, which may be due to various sources, including the rise and fall of sea levels several times throughout the Earth's history. Research indicates that the waters of the Arabian Gulf covered this region millions of years ago, but gradually receded until the Empty Quarter desert was formed.
The red sands in the southern part of the Empty Quarter, which indicate the presence of iron oxides due to oxidation, may have been transported to the area through valleys and streams that flow during the rainy season, according to NASA.
Climatic importance
The Empty Quarter desert is characterized by very low and irregular rainfall, high temperature fluctuations and variable winds, making it a harsh and difficult environment for human life and activity. Despite these conditions, it has natural and climatic importance, as it serves as a natural laboratory for studying wind processes such as sand transport, sand dune formation and dust emissions, which affect the local and global environment.
A recent study published in the journal “Earth and Space Science” last year suggests that studying the Empty Quarter desert is not only a way to understand the movement and properties of sand, but also provides a broader understanding of wind processes, and highlights the delicate interaction between atmospheric and terrestrial conditions in shaping regional dust phenomena, which have major environmental impacts.
The study shows that one of the most prominent wind phenomena in the Empty Quarter is the frequent occurrence of dust storms, which contribute to the formation of local dust emissions in the Arabian Peninsula region. These emissions have multiple effects, including changing the regional weather pattern and lowering temperatures in the region.
Dust emissions reflect some of the sun's rays and heat back into space, which may reduce daytime warming, because dust blocks short-wave solar radiation while enhancing the flow of long-wave radiation. Therefore, air temperatures are generally cooler during the day but warmer at night.
The study cites the example of the large dust storm that occurred over the desert in July 2018, where dust rose to more than 5 km above the surface. During that period, the temperature was observed to drop by about 3 degrees Celsius during the day, while the temperature at night rose significantly compared to the average temperatures usual for those days.
Environmental importance
The role of dust storms is not limited to the climatic effect only, but this effect extends to the ecosystem in the surrounding area, such as the Arabian Sea.
A study conducted by New York University Abu Dhabi concluded that atmospheric dust coming from the desert region surrounding the Arabian Sea is important in preserving the marine ecosystem, as dust storms spread large amounts of dust over the Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
This dust carries quantities of nutrients such as iron, which is essential to help phytoplankton benefit from key nutrients, especially since the surface waters of the Arabian Sea contain a low concentration of iron.
The dust coming from the Empty Quarter has a positive impact on the preservation of phytoplankton in the Arabian Sea, which plays an important and fundamental role in the marine food chain and the ecosystem as a whole by helping organisms survive and reproduce in the water.
Habitat and Biodiversity
Despite the harsh climate conditions, the wildlife of the Empty Quarter remains of great value and is famous for its unique desert plants, as many plants have developed their characteristics in order to adapt and survive in this climate, by being highly tolerant of salinity or greatly reducing their need for water.
“Plants provide the foundation for life on the planet, and as climate change takes hold, the species in the Empty Quarter that can survive in such harsh environments will become even more important to humanity. So,we need to protect them, preserve their genetic diversity, and study how they can adapt to the climate, as they represent a way to protect future food security and an opportunity to protect biodiversity,” says Emma Seal, a researcher at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Empty Quarter Oases Rehabilitation Initiative in the Kingdom
The Empty Quarter is located mainly in Saudi Arabia, which occupies the largest part of the desert, so the Kingdom pays great attention to the future of the Empty Quarter and making it greener.
Recently, the Vegetation Cover Development Foundation (Morouj) planted 22 million seeds in the Empty Quarter, as part of the initiative to rehabilitate the Empty Quarter oases under the supervision of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, with the participation of a number of volunteers and specialists.
Different types of seeds were scattered, including Haloxylon, Anabasis, and Calligonum, and seedlings of Tamarex, Acacia, and Ghaf were planted as well, distributed over 5 sites. Sites were chosen based on the nature of the land, its need for afforestation, and the appropriate type, in addition to environmental campaigns targeting tree pruning and cleaning the sites.
This environmental initiative, which seeks to enhance the vegetation cover and stimulate wildlife in the unique Empty Quarter desert, confirms the Kingdom’s efforts to achieve environmental sustainability and protect natural resources within the Saudi Green Initiative.
