Biomes of the World Marine Salt Water Coniferous Forest Savanna

Name: Desert (not dessert) Location: Western N. America, Africa (Sahara), SW Asia (Middle East), Central Australia (Outback); (covers 1/5 of Earth’s land surface) Climate: dry or arid, extremely hot in daytime (above 100°F), cold at night (below 50°F), some always cold due to high elevation; very little rainfall (less than 10 in. of rain per year), rain comes in short bursts causing flash floods Plants: very few plants, small trees, cactus, prickly pear

Geography The Colorado Plateau begins at the edge of the Rocky Mountains, covering New Mexico & Arizona. The Colorado River cuts beautiful canyons in this area, including the magnificent Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. It is 10 miles across, 277 miles long, and over a mile deep! East of the mountains is the vast, arid land of Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Rain Shadows from the Rocky Mountains form these desert areas. There are three large deserts in this region, the Sonoran, the Chihuahuan, & the Painted Desert. Death Valley is also a desert here.

Mule Ride to bottom of canyon Havasu Falls at bottom

Monument Valley

Four Corners

Animals: insects, spiders, lizards, scorpions, roadrunners, snakes, jack rabbit, scavenger birds, owls, camels Biodiversity: extreme temperatures make survival difficult, requires adaptations - plants can store water for long periods of time, animals can burrow underground to avoid heat or only come out at night (nocturnal) Human Impact: People living close to deserts use precious water and pull up natural vegetation, creating desertification (more deserts); drilling for oil, factories polluting atmosphere damage ozone layer making it even hotter where nothing can survive

Deserts Desert – hot, dry, arid land with very little rainfall where few plants can grow Sahara – world’s largest desert covering North Africa, including Egypt Has less than 10” rainfall per year, droughts can last 6-7 years Namib and Kalahari Deserts cover southern countries Sahara Desert

Over 800,000 miles of roads, but less than 1/10th are paved. Transportation is by bus, foot, or bicycles. Use camels in the desert because they can go 5-7 days without drinking water! Dust storm in the desert

Desert Insects

Israel

Date Palms

What Disney movie takes place in the Desert in the Middle East?

Central Australia Ayers Rock / Uluru (red sandstone) Outback – The middle of the continent is a vast dry desert with few cities and inhabitants

Opal Mining It’s so hot and dry in the outback where people mine… that they live underground!

Opal Mining in Coober Pedy

Living Underground in the Outback

Under ground hotels and churches