Horn of Africa lowlands monsoon moisture arid

Parts of the Horn of Africa are deserts despite being near the equator

Being close to the equator does not guarantee heavy rainfall. In the Horn of Africa, seasonal wind patterns, ocean temperatures and mountain ranges help leave some coastal and lowland areas extremely dry. Moisture-bearing winds do not always deliver rain where they pass, showing why latitude alone is a poor predictor of climate.

The ocean is becoming less alkaline, not literally acidic

Average surface ocean pH fell from about 8.15 to 8.05 between 1950 and 2020. This is called ocean acidification because the pH is falling. But seawater is still slightly alkaline rather than actually acidic.

Red algae can live deeper by using blue-green light

Red light disappears quickly underwater, while blue-green light reaches much deeper. Red algae can use this deeper-reaching light for photosynthesis, allowing them to live at depths where many green plants are less effective.

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Horn of Africa lowlands monsoon moisture arid

Parts of the Horn of Africa are deserts despite being near the equator

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