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