Final answer:
People in the Sahara Desert have adapted by living around oases for water and farming, and by maintaining a nomadic lifestyle for herding. Camels and date palms have been central to adapting to the desert environment, offering transportation and nutrition for long journeys.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most people have adapted to living in the Sahara Desert in two significant ways: through settling around oases and adopting a nomadic lifestyle. The oases, which are vital green spots in the desert, are home to around three-quarters of the Sahara's population. These settlements utilize underground water sources, allowing for activities such as farming. On the other hand, the rest of the population, including the Tuareg and Teda, live as nomads. They engage in herding and other economic activities that are adapted to the harsh desert conditions, moving seasonally in search of grazing land and water for their animals, particularly in marginal areas around the desert.
Another important adaptation involves the use of camels for transport and trade. Camels have unique adaptations like the ability to go days without water, feet suited for sand, and the specially developed Tuareg camel saddle, which made long-distance travel feasible. The introduction of the date palm to the Sahara was also essential, providing high-calorie, easily transportable food that enabled traders to sustain themselves on long journeys through the desert.