Apr 01, 2015
oThe majority of deserts are located within 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south latitude.
oHot and dry deserts are found in that region around the equator
oCold deserts are found near the north and south poles
oDeserts are found on nearly every continent
One fifth of the earth’s surface is desert
The typical temperature range for a hot and dry desert is 68 – 77 degrees, although it can reach up to 110 degrees in the summer
The cold desert can have temperatures from the 60s down to the 20s
Rainfall is nearly non-existent in most African and Asian deserts
Often the rain is evaporated before it hits the ground
Perennials – plants which live for more than one growing season
Ephemerals – plants which grow and die in one season
•The desert plant community, in general, is unique due to the extreme climate
•A major necessity in desert producers is the ability to take in and retain water, since there is always an extreme shortage of it
•Some plants have widespread and shallow roots that allow any water that falls to be quickly absorbed
•Others have extremely deep root systems, reaching down 60 to 80 feet to obtain water
Columnar Cacti – Perennial
Daisy - Ephemeral
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Consumers
Primary Consumer
Some examples are herbivores
Similar to producers, they must adapt to the harsh desert climate
When there is no water available, they are forced to obtain all the moisture they can get from plants, alone
Often move to cooler areas, such as caves, in the summer
Mouse
Secondary ConsumerSome examples are
small carnivores
Tertiary ConsumerThese are large carnivores
SnakeDesert lizard
These include the larger snakes, like the cobra, and aggressive birds, like the hawk. These eat other carnivores.
These include cold-blooded organisms, such as the lizard or the tarantula.
There are many mineral resources within the desert.
They include copper, iron, lead, zinc, silver, gold, and uranium.
This is an enormous copper deposit in the Sonoran Desert. It is about 3300 feet long and 2500 feet wide.
Some petroleum areas, which used to be under shallow marine environments, are now under desert environments.
This is due to the climate change in those areas.
Human Development – such as building houses or factories
Off-Road Vehicles – These severely disturb the environment, and could run over many animals or plants
Replacing natural plants with foreign ones – If the domestic plant life is taken out, it could affect the food chain
Bear-paw Poppy
Desert Bighorn Sheep
Referenceshttp://library.thinkquest.org/6225/jordan1.htm Oracle ThinkQuest
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/where.htm Missouri Botanical Garden
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert.htm Stetson N.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php University of California Museum of Paleontology
http://www.desertusa.com/mag05/mar/food2.html DesertUSA Jay W. Sharp
http://www.desertusa.com/mag05/feb/food.html DesertUSA Jay W. Sharp
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/cactus-plant-facts.html Bidisha Mukherjee
http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/food-chains/ Walter Feller
http://www.desertusa.com/mag05/dec/food11.html DesertUSA Jay W. Sharp
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/deserts/minerals/ US Geological Survey
http://library.thinkquest.org/5788/ ThinkQuest
http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/endangered.html Walter Feller
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_environmental_issues_does_the_desert_face Wiki Answers
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Environmental_concerns_with_the_desert_biome Wiki Answers