What is in the desert?

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. read more

Cacti dominate the Sonoran Desert vegetation near Tucson, Arizona. (Photograph by Peter Kresan) Approximately one-third of the Earth's land surface is desert, arid land with meager rainfall that supports only sparse vegetation and a limited population of people and animals. read more

As in the hot desert, rainfall is often very low and/or concentrated. The average rainfall ranges from 2-4 cm annually. From left: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, southern Nevada; sagebrush near Bridger, Montana; Castle Valley, Utah, east of Arches National Park. read more