Desert Biome By: B.B To: Mr. B. Mac Neil Date due :April 19,2006

Desert Biome  I find the ecology of the desert biome very interesting.  I picked the desert biome because; I like the dryness in a desert and the animals that live in a desert. I enjoyed working and learning about the desert ecosystem

The world's deserts are divided into four categories  Subtropical deserts are the hottest, with extreme heat.  cool coastal deserts, the average temperature is much cooler because of frigid offshore ocean currents.  Cold winter deserts are marked by stark temperature differences from season to season, ranging from 100° F (38° C) in the summer to 10° F (–12° C) in the winter.  Polar regions are also considered to be deserts because nearly all moisture in these areas is locked up in the form of ice.

Where it is found and the geography The world deserts desertfoundmilesKm Antarctica 5,500,00014,245,000 SaharaNorth Africa3,500,0009,065,000 GobiMongolia-China500,0001,295,000 KalahariSouthern Africa225,000582,000 Great VictoriaAustralia150,000338,500 Great SandyAustralia150,000338,500

What a desert is like  The desert is a land of extremes: extreme heat and extreme dryness; sudden flash floods and cold nights. Because deserts are such a harsh environment, deserts often have names likes "Death Valley  A desert can get up to 49 degrees, so a desert is very warm all year around but it can cool down a lot in the evening time.

Rain fall  Deserts are usually very, very dry. Even the wettest deserts get less than ten inches of rain a year.  There may be only a few periods of rains per year with a lot of time between rains. When it does rain, there may be quite a downpour!

The special adaptations of the vegetation  Deserts are the home to many organisms. In fact, deserts are second only to tropical rainforests in the variety of plant and animal species that live there. How do you think plants grow in a place that is very, very dry?  Deserts are the home to many organisms. In fact, deserts are second only to tropical rainforests in the variety of plant and animal species that live there. How do you think plants grow in a place that is very, very dry?  Many of the fascinating features of desert plants are adaptations -- traits that help the plant survive in its harsh environment.  Desert plants have two main adaptations:  Desert plants have two main adaptations:  Ability to collect and store water  Features that reduce water loss

The cactus in a desert  The stem of the Cactus stores all of its water. The stem is green.The cactus is very sharp,you could get cut very bad on a cactus.The cactus can store 2 ½ liters of water. The cactus can grow up to 5 or 6 feel tall. This plant has another adaptation that is hidden from us. This is its large net of roots that extend far away from its trunk.

Photos

Desert animals  Animals in the desert must survive in a harsh environment. extreme heat, blazing sun, and lack of water are just a few of the challenges facing desert animals.  Animals in the desert must survive in a harsh environment. extreme heat, blazing sun, and lack of water are just a few of the challenges facing desert animals.  Animals that live in the hot desert have many adaptations. Some animals never drink, but get their water from seeds (some can contain up to 50% water) and plants. Many animals are nocturnal, sleeping during the hot day and only coming out at night to eat and hunt. Some animals rarely spend any time above ground.  Animals that live in the hot desert have many adaptations. Some animals never drink, but get their water from seeds (some can contain up to 50% water) and plants. Many animals are nocturnal, sleeping during the hot day and only coming out at night to eat and hunt. Some animals rarely spend any time above ground.

Desert animals

The ecosystem of the desert biome. The ecosystem of the desert biome.  Desert plants are the primary producers. Animals that live in the desert feed on the plants' seeds, flowers, and juicy bodies and leaves.  The plant-eating animals are the primary consumers. These animals are small, and can get by on very little food.  The secondary consumers eat the plant eaters. Lizards eat insects: snakes eat lizards, insects, and little desert rodents such as deer mice and kangaroo rats.  The secondary consumers eat the plant eaters. Lizards eat insects: snakes eat lizards, insects, and little desert rodents such as deer mice and kangaroo rats.  All animals need protection from the sun during the heat of the day. There is no shade in the desert, but there are rocks where a small animal can find shelter. Some of the animals go into underground burrows, where the air is a little cooler.

Dangers in the desert  There are many dangers in the desert some of them include:  Extreme heat with very little shelter  Small amount of rain fall  Dangerous animals  Sand storms cause a lot of problems in deserts.

Interesting facts  The Atacama desert in Chile is the driest desert,it has almost no plants or people,it never rained in 400 years until  In many places in Asia oil and natural gas lie beneath the desert sand. People drill these products from the ground.  Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, and most of the country is desert and bush covered land called the outback

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Bibliography    iome/  curriculum.calstatela.edu/courses/builders/lesso ns/less/biomes/introbiomes.html  A FIRST ATLAS Two-Can First Encyclopedia