Дюна

           Giantsifs(longduneswithsinuouscrest)ofmorethan1,500metersheightwereproducedthisway.

           Whenbarrierdunesreachedsufficientheight,thewindwardfaceswereplantedwithtougherswordgrasses.Eachstructureonabaseaboutsixtimesasthickasitsheightwasanchored—“fixed.”

           Now,theycameinwithdeeperplantings—ephemerals(chenopods,pigweeds,andamaranthtobegin),thenscotchbroom,lowlupine,vineeucalyptus(thetypeadaptedforCaladan’snorthernreaches),dwarftamarisk,shorepine—thenthetruedesertgrowths:candelilla,saguaro,andbis-naga,thebarrelcactus.Whereitwouldgrow,theyintroducedcamelsage,oniongrass,gobifeathergrass,wildalfalfa,burrowbush,sandverbena,eveningprimrose,incensebush,smoketree,creosotebush.

           Theyturnedthentothenecessaryanimallife—burrowingcreaturestoopenthesoilandaerateit:kitfox,kangaroomouse,deserthare,sandterrapin...andthepredatorstokeepthemincheck:deserthawk,dwarfowl,eagleanddesertowl;andinsectstofillthenichesthesecouldn’treach:scorpion,centipede,trapdoorspider,thebitingwaspandthewormfly...andthedesertbattokeepwatchonthese.

           Nowcamethecrucialtest:datepalms,cotton,melons,coffee,medicinals—morethan200selectedfoodplanttypestotestandadapt.

           “Thethingtheecologicallyilliteratedon’trealizeaboutanecosystem,”

           Kynessaid,“isthatit’sasystem.Asystem!Asystemmaintainsacertainfluidstabilitythatcanbedestroyedbyamisstepinjustoneniche.Asystemhasorder,aflowingfrompointtopoint.