Desert Dust as a Vector for Cyanobacterial Toxins

Drylands, which make up 41–45% of the Earth’s land area, are inhabited by 31% of the world’s human population and are characterized by climatic forces which shape the Maliva and Missimer, 2012 physical environment and its biological life (UNCCD 2012; Prăvălie 2016; IPCC 2017). Although deserts were conceptualized singularly in the context of temperature maxima or lack of precipitation, aridity indices (AI) which take into consideration annual precipitation (P) and evapotranspiration (ET) potential are more accurate and efficient in describing deserts (UNESCO 1979; IPCC 2007, 2017). This is because ET has an inherent co-linearity with additional climatic forces including temperature, wind speed, and Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI). The water cycle, which influences soil type, vegetation cover and species abundance is factored in as well through incorporation of P in the aridity index (UNESCO 1979; IPCC 2007, 2017).