Desert ecosystems: similarities, characteristics, and health benefits

Salty bodies of water in desert zones are known worldwide. The Salton Sea in California, USA, and the Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan are located in arid areas at approximately the same latitude, which might explain some similarities. Both the Salton and Dead Seas have ecosystems consisting of a singular saline sea/hot desert interface. The Salton Sea, the largest inland body of water in California, is a saline lake in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys. The Imperial Valley is one of the 10 top agricultural areas in the United States. Several thermoelectric plants exploiting geothermal wells operate around the Salton Sea, and some areas comprise a National Wildlife Refuge. The Dead Sea (Sea of Salt in Hebrew), the lowest saline lake on earth, contains high concentrations of salts and is a reservoir of minerals with a unique evaporation regime. The Dead Sea salts are the raw materials for the production of several chemical and health products. Magnesium salts and sulfur-containing mud are used for treating human skin disorders, allergies, arthritis, and respiratory diseases. After visiting both zones, we recorded, analyzed, and compared the similarities and differences between the areas. Some differences were found in the geographic, orographic, hydraulic, and climatic properties, but the main difference is in the economic-industrial aspect. The characteristics and health aspects are described in this report.