Abi Tamim Vanak and Anuja Malhotra

Bangalore Mirror | July 16, 2025

Deserts are often misunderstood as failed ecosystems—barren, lifeless expanses in need of redemption. Popular imagination and policy alike view these arid landscapes as degraded zones to be greened through afforestation or irrigation. However, deserts are far from broken. They are ancient, biologically rich ecosystems that have evolved to thrive under extreme conditions.