Facts about Desert
Plants that have not completely adapted to sporadic rainfalls in a desert environment may tap into underground water sources that do not exceed the reach of their root systems.
The warm air takes with it any remaining small amounts of moisture in the desert.
The remaining surfaces of arid lands are composed of exposed bedrock outcrops, desert soils, and fluvial deposits including alluvial fans, playas, desert lakes, and oases.
Significant evaporite resources occur in the Great Basin Desert of the United States, mineral deposits made famous by the "20-mule teams" that once hauled borax-laden wagons from Death Valley to the railroad.
Other desert plants have long taproots that penetrate to the water table if present, or have adapted to the weather by having wide-spreading roots to absorb water from a greater area of the ground.
When the occasional precipitation does occur, it erodes the desert rocks quickly and powerfully.
Deserts where vegetation cover is exceedingly sparse correspond to the 'hyperarid' regions of Earth, where rainfall is exceedingly rare and infrequent.
Urban areas in deserts lack large (more than 25°F/14°C) daily temperature ranges, partly due to the urban heat island effect.
Cold deserts (also known as polar deserts) have similar features, but the main form of precipitation is snow rather than rain.
The Atacama Desert of South America is unique among the deserts of the world in its great abundance of saline minerals.
Former desert areas presently in non-arid environments are paleodeserts.
Deserts have a reputation for supporting very little life, but in reality deserts often have high biodiversity, including animals that remain hidden during daylight hours to control body temperature or to limit moisture needs.
Deserts are also classified by their geographical location and dominant weather pattern as trade wind, mid-latitude, rain shadow, coastal, monsoon, or polar deserts.
Deserts typically have a plant cover that is sparse but enormously diverse.
Winds are the other factor that erodes deserts—they are slow yet constant.
Arid and extremely arid lands are deserts, and semiarid grasslands are generally referred to as steppes.
Rain does fall occasionally in deserts, and desert storms are often violent.
The Nile River, the Colorado River, and the Yellow River are exotic rivers that flow through deserts to deliver their sediments to the sea.
Many deserts are shielded from rain by rain shadows, mountains blocking the path of precipitation to the desert.
The North Slope of Alaska's Brooks Range also receives less than 250 millimeters (10 in) of precipitation per year, but it is not generally recognized as a desert region.
The words desert in English, dйsert in French, desierto in Spanish, and deserto in Italian all come from the Latin desertum, meaning "an unpopulated place."
The largest cold desert is Antarctica, which is composed of about 98 percent thick continental ice sheet and two percent barren rock.
Oases are often the only places in deserts that support crops and permanent habitation.
Deserts may also have underground springs, rivers, or reservoirs that lay close to the surface, or deep underground.
Sand dunes called ergs and stony surfaces called hamada surfaces compose a minority of desert surfaces.
Rain shadow deserts form when tall mountain ranges block clouds from reaching areas in the direction of the wind.
A desert is part of a wider classification of regions that, on an average annual basis, have a moisture deficit—that is, they can potentially lose more moisture than they receive.
Deserts sometimes contain valuable mineral deposits that were formed in the arid environment or exposed by erosion.
In 1953, geographer Peveril Meigs divided desert regions on Earth into three categories according to the amount of precipitation they received.
Cold deserts can be covered in snow; such locations don't receive much precipitation, and what does fall remains frozen as snow pack.
Moisture almost never reaches the leeward side of the mountain, resulting in a desert.
Humans who travel into deserts unprepared, particularly without carrying an adequate supply of water, have a slim chance of survival.
The giant saguaro cacti provide nests for desert birds and serve as "trees" of the desert.
Eolian processes (wind-driven processes) are major factors in shaping desert landscapes.
The Sonoran Desert of the American Southwest has one of the most complex desert vegetation in the Americas.
Nearly all desert surfaces are plains where eolian deflation—removal of fine-grained material by the wind—has exposed loose gravels consisting predominantly of pebbles but with occasional cobbles.
Such rivers infiltrate soils and evaporate large amounts of water on their journeys through the deserts, but their volumes are such that they maintain their continuity.
In 1953, geographer Peveril Meigs divided desert regions on Earth into three categories according to the amount of precipitation they received.
While Utah is widely perceived to be a desert state, and statistically it is the second driest state in the nation, its climate, soils, and vegetation are as diverse as are its landforms. Utah has three climatic regions--humid, sub-humid or semi-arid, and arid--and each region covers about one-third of the state.
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to the processes of denudation. About one third of the land surface of the world is arid or semi-arid.
There are four major types of desert in this biome - hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. They are all able to inhabit plant and animal life that are able to survive there. Interesting Desert Biome Facts: Although the daytime temperatures of the desert biome are very hot, they can get very cold at night.
Some deserts are found on the western edges of continents. They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. They cool the air and make it harder for the air to hold moisture. Most moisture falls as rain before it reaches the land, eg The Namib desert in Africa.
The Desert - What Makes This Biome Unique? Deserts are areas that have hardly any rain, are extremely dry and are usually very hot. Animals and plants have adapted to the harsh environment so they can survive the extreme conditions.
LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! ... And then there are cold deserts.
Carcross Desert
Non-Polar Deserts. The rest of Earth's deserts are outside of the polar areas. The largest is the Sahara Desert, a subtropical desert in northern Africa. It covers a surface area of about 3.5 million square miles.
Carcross Desert, located outside Carcross, Yukon, Canada (60°11′14″N 134°41′41″WCoordinates: 60°11′14″N 134°41′41″W), is often considered the smallest desert in the world. The Carcross Desert measures approximately 1 square mile (2.6 km2), or 640 acres.
The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, receive less than 100 mm (4 in) of precipitation per year and have a mean annual temperature of -20ºC (-4ºF). With an area of around 4,800 km² (1,850 miles²), they represent the largest ice-free area on the continent.
El Azizia took the record for highest temperature ever recorded on Sept. 13, 1922, when a thermometer on a weather station hit a whopping 136 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius), thanks to southerly winds blowing in hot air from over the Sahara Desert.Apr 16, 2012
Some deserts are found on the western edges of continents. They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. They cool the air and make it harder for the air to hold moisture. Most moisture falls as rain before it reaches the land, eg The Namib desert in Africa.
The desert biome is an ecosystem that forms due to the low level of rainfall it receives each year. Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth. There are four major types of desert in this biome - hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. They are all able to inhabit plant and animal life that are able to survive there.
Characteristics and climate of deserts. See where deserts are found on this biomes map. Deserts have extreme temperatures. During the day the temperature may reach 50°C, when at night it may fall to below 0°C. Deserts have less than 250 mm of rainfall per year.
LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! ... And then there are cold deserts.
The Desert Biome is an important part of Earth because many animals live in it and it is a source of sand. Also, a lot of oil is often found under many deserts. The Desert Biome is home to insects and spiders that frogs and birds eat. ... The Desert Biome is also important because it has its own ecosystem.
Human Impact On The Desert Biome. Humans have impacted the desert biome in that they have polluted the atmosphere. This affects all biomes, including the desert. People have also drilled for many fossil fuels, such as oil, in the desert.
But even small changes in temperature or precipitation could drastically impact plants and animals living in the desert. ... Human activities such as firewood gathering and the grazing of animals are also converting semiarid regions into deserts, a process known as desertification.
The Desert - What Makes This Biome Unique? Deserts are areas that have hardly any rain, are extremely dry and are usually very hot. Animals and plants have adapted to the harsh environment so they can survive the extreme conditions.
Moon landing in Wadi Rum. Jordan's desert is, in a word, majestic. Its lunar-like landscape (Wadi Rum is also known as the Valley of the Moon), crevice-riddled cliffs and ever-evolving light inspire unbridled awe.
Comprising around 75% of Jordan, this area of desert and desert steppe is part of what is known as the North Arab Desert. It stretches into Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, with elevations varying between 600 and 900 meters above sea level.
ANIMALSAfrican Wild Dog. Arabian Wildcat. Armadillo. Ankole Longhorn Cattle. ... Bats. Bighorn Sheep. Bear (Black) Bison (Plains Bison) ... Camels: - Bactrian Camel (two humps) - Dromedary Camels (one hump) - Southwestern Camel Experiment. ... Coyote. Coyote ebook.Dama Gazelle.Deer - Mule.Deer - White-Tailed. Desert Shrew. Dingo. Dinosaurs.
Since water is so scarce, most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: succulent plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey. ... Desert animals prevent water leaving their bodies in a number of different ways.
Common animals of the California deserts include the desert bighorn sheep, desert kit fox, coyote, spotted skunk, spotted bat, black-tailed jackrabbit, ground squirrels, kangaroo rat, white-footed mouse, and desert tortoise.
The two main adaptations that desert animals must make are how to deal with lack of water and how to deal with extremes in temperature. ... Since water is so scarce, most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: succulent plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey.
Camels have: Large, flat feet to spread their weight on the sand. Thick fur on the top of the body for shade, and thin fur elsewhere to allow easy heat loss. A large surface area to volume ratio to maximise heat loss.
Because regular leaves don't conserve water well, the cactus developed these modified leaves to adapt to its extremely dry environment. The spines are better at conserving water and surviving in hot temperatures. Regular leaves provide a large surface area for evaporation of water to occur, the tiny spines do not.
Camels are herbivores; they eat desert vegetation, such as grasses, herbs, and leaves. Camels have many adaptations that allow them to live successfully in desert conditions. Deserts are hot and dry. Winds blow sand all around, so a camel has long eyelashes.
Desert succulents, such as cacti or rock plants (Lithops) for example, survive dry spells by accumulating moisture in their fleshy tissues. They have an extensive system of shallow roots to capture soil water only a few hours after it has rained.
Learn more about these areas, which are often barren but not always devoid of life.Tumbleweed. Most people recognize this mature Russian thistle as common tumbleweed. ... Prickly Pear Cacti. ... Cacti. ... Saguaro Cactus. ... Mexican Poppies. ... Weathered Trees. ... Wildflowers. ... Black Rock Desert, Nevada.More items...
There are at least 2,450 native plant species found in California's desert, according to a great article by Chris Clarke on desert life, posted at KCET.Jan 11, 2012