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Deserts
JERICA RODE AND TARA BANFIELD
What is a desert?
Less than 50 cm/year Occupies 20% of the land surface of the Earth Four types
Hot and dry
Semiarid
Coastal
Cold
Where are they located?
Deserts
General Characteristics:Soil
Lithosols Stone or mineral soil
Evaporated water leaves deposits of salt Shrubbery and animals add
nutrients
General Characteristics:Plants
Plant hair helps to reduce evaporation
Produce small leaves in response to rainfall
Some remain as seeds and only germinate during wet periods Ephemerals
Hot and Dry Desert
Annual temperature: 20-25°C
Annual rainfall: 1.5 – 28 cm/year
Plants Small, thick, and covered in cuticles
Open their stomata at night
Animals include species that are able to burrow
Semiarid Desert
Summer Temperature: 21-27°C
Annual rainfall: 2 - 4 cm/year
Plants
Spiny for protection
Some are glossy to reflect radiation
Animals
Avoid direct sunlight
Coastal Desert
Average temperature: 13-24°C Average rainfall: 8-13 cm/year Plants
Some plants form ridges/grooves to hold water Thick fleshy leaves/stems to store water
Animals Some are able to speed up their life cycle in ideal conditions
Cold Desert
Long, cold winters and warmer summers Annual temperature: -2 - 4°C Annual precipitation: 15- 26cm Plants are scattered Animals burrow