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SUMAN MUTHUSUMAN MUTHU

A Desert’s CharacteristicsA Desert’s Characteristics

ClimateClimate

AnimalsAnimals

PlantsPlants

SeasonsSeasons

AdaptationsAdaptations

Significance to Significance to humanshumans

What is ECOSYSTEM?What is ECOSYSTEM?

An An ecosystemecosystem is a community of living is a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil). The entire planet is an mineral soil). The entire planet is an ecosystem.ecosystem. In the desert ecosystem many In the desert ecosystem many organisms have learned to adapt to the hot organisms have learned to adapt to the hot climate and lack of supplements.climate and lack of supplements.

Believe it or not, deserts come in several varieties. The two major classifications are hot and cold. the hot desert is a land of extreme. extreme heat and extreme dryness sudden flash floods and cold nights. At night the temperature drops to 40 are 50 degreesThe main form of precipitation in a hot desert is rain. But the hot desert only gets ten inches or less of rain per year. That’s a little bit.The main form of precipitation in a cold desert is either snow or fog. Most deserts are found in the mountain areas.

ClimateClimate

The desert is very dry and warm. A very little The desert is very dry and warm. A very little amount of rain rains a year. Some deserts can amount of rain rains a year. Some deserts can be over 100 degrees F. That’s so hot.be over 100 degrees F. That’s so hot.

Many of the features of desert plants are Many of the features of desert plants are adaptations traits that makes the plant survive adaptations traits that makes the plant survive in its harsh environment. Desert plants have two in its harsh environment. Desert plants have two main adaptations to survive and that ismain adaptations to survive and that is Ability to collect and store water  Ability to collect and store water  Features that reduce water loss Features that reduce water loss There is a lot of plants in this biome and they areThere is a lot of plants in this biome and they areSaguaro Saguaro Barrel CactusBarrel Cactus Old Man Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Dragon Tree Fish Hook Cactus Desert Spoon Aloe Joshua Tree Yucca

Saguaro cactus Saguaro cactus This plant stores lots of water in its stem. This plant stores lots of water in its stem.

photosynthesis occurs on top layer of the photosynthesis occurs on top layer of the stem instead of the leaves. They have an stem instead of the leaves. They have an adaptation that its roots extend far away adaptation that its roots extend far away from its trunk the roots collects the water from its trunk the roots collects the water after its rains and stores it in the stem the after its rains and stores it in the stem the water that’s in side the saguaro can keep it water that’s in side the saguaro can keep it alive till it rains again.alive till it rains again.

Picture of saguaro cactus Picture of saguaro cactus

Barrel cactus Barrel cactus

The out side of the barrel cactus is spongy so it The out side of the barrel cactus is spongy so it could store water. When it gets very hot the could store water. When it gets very hot the plant shrinks until it rains again. plant shrinks until it rains again.

Picture of barrel cactusPicture of barrel cactus

Chain Fruit ChollaChain Fruit Cholla

The chain fruit cholla are mostly found in dry The chain fruit cholla are mostly found in dry areas like deserts . When there is a drought areas like deserts . When there is a drought animals depend on the chain fruit cholla for animals depend on the chain fruit cholla for water.water.

Picture of chain fruit chollaPicture of chain fruit cholla

AnimalsAnimalsDesert animals must survive a harsh and hostile Desert animals must survive a harsh and hostile environment. environment. Many animals never drink water but can get Many animals never drink water but can get there water from seeds and plants. there water from seeds and plants. Many of the animals are nocturnal.Many of the animals are nocturnal. In some instances some animals wont come In some instances some animals wont come out of the ground for their whole life. out of the ground for their whole life. An example of this is a Spadefoot toad which An example of this is a Spadefoot toad which spends nine months in the ground.spends nine months in the ground.

Great JerboaGreat Jerboa

The great jerboa is a very small mammal they The great jerboa is a very small mammal they feed on seeds and small insects which makes feed on seeds and small insects which makes them omnivores. them omnivores.

They are also nocturnal and they hibernate in They are also nocturnal and they hibernate in the winter. the winter.

Picture of Picture of Great JerboaGreat Jerboa

Thorny devilThorny devil

The thorny devil is a reptile that eats termites The thorny devil is a reptile that eats termites and ants which makes the thorny devil a and ants which makes the thorny devil a carnivore .carnivore .

The thorny devil moves in a slow pace that’s The thorny devil moves in a slow pace that’s why the thorny devil eats insects instead of why the thorny devil eats insects instead of eating bird that move very fast.eating bird that move very fast.

Picture of thorny devilPicture of thorny devil

Gila MonsterGila Monster

The Gila monster eats eggs and other small The Gila monster eats eggs and other small mammals which makes it a carnivore. mammals which makes it a carnivore.

They are primarily nocturnal but may emerge They are primarily nocturnal but may emerge in the spring. in the spring.

They are also very venomous.They are also very venomous.

Picture of a Gila monsterPicture of a Gila monster

Armadillo lizardArmadillo lizard

The armadillo lizard feeds on spiders and other The armadillo lizard feeds on spiders and other invertebrates and a wide variety of insects. invertebrates and a wide variety of insects.

It has tube like nostrils and uses them to hunt It has tube like nostrils and uses them to hunt and detect for predators. and detect for predators.

The lizards head is narrow. The lizards head is narrow.

Picture of armadillo lizard Picture of armadillo lizard

SeasonsSeasons The seasons are generally warm The seasons are generally warm

throughout the year and very hot in throughout the year and very hot in the summer. the summer.

The winters usually bring little The winters usually bring little rainfall. Temperatures exhibit daily rainfall. Temperatures exhibit daily extremes because the atmosphere extremes because the atmosphere contains little humidity to block the contains little humidity to block the Sun’s raysSun’s rays..

AdaptationsAdaptations

Many of the animals in the desert have Many of the animals in the desert have become nocturnal because of the extreme become nocturnal because of the extreme heat.heat.

Both plants and animals have learned to Both plants and animals have learned to store water, avoid heat by staying store water, avoid heat by staying underground, and taking water from underground, and taking water from nearby plants.nearby plants.

Human impact Human impact Poachers are a main cause of dying animals. Poachers are a main cause of dying animals.

Poachers catch animals of all kinds to make money Poachers catch animals of all kinds to make money for usually just one part, like the elephant tusk.for usually just one part, like the elephant tusk.

With the growing popularity of transportation, many With the growing popularity of transportation, many roads are being built in not only the desert, but all roads are being built in not only the desert, but all the other biomes.the other biomes.

The main problem with these roads are the fact that The main problem with these roads are the fact that they destroy habitats and endanger animals. Road they destroy habitats and endanger animals. Road kill is also a main factor in these dying animals.kill is also a main factor in these dying animals.

These problems can be easily taken care of if other These problems can be easily taken care of if other means of transportation were encouraged.means of transportation were encouraged.

Interesting factsInteresting facts

There are cold deserts as well as hot deserts there There are cold deserts as well as hot deserts there are many bizarre animals in the deserts. are many bizarre animals in the deserts.

The plant has to adapt to the hot weather by The plant has to adapt to the hot weather by storing water in there stems.storing water in there stems.

The Gobi Desert is cold almost all year round.The Gobi Desert is cold almost all year round. Deserts spread through desertification. This Deserts spread through desertification. This

happens when grasslands surrounding deserts happens when grasslands surrounding deserts become dry.become dry.

Some deserts have gotten nicknames such as Some deserts have gotten nicknames such as Death Valley because of the lack of waterDeath Valley because of the lack of water

OASISOASIS

Oases are parts of the desert where plants Oases are parts of the desert where plants grow and water is almost always grow and water is almost always available.available.

An oasis is formed by a pool of water An oasis is formed by a pool of water trapped between layers of rock and the trapped between layers of rock and the desert floor.desert floor.

The water can allow people to settle and The water can allow people to settle and even grow crops in the desert.even grow crops in the desert.

Conclusion Conclusion

The desert brings us interesting and The desert brings us interesting and unusual animals such as the thorny devil. unusual animals such as the thorny devil.

The desert can get extremely hot in the The desert can get extremely hot in the day, but at night it can drop below day, but at night it can drop below freezing.freezing.

THE ENDTHE END