DESERT

What is a Desert biome?

Desert biomes are regions which receive less than 50 centimeters of rain per year and are therefore extremely dry. Deserts have the fewest species and the most extreme climate.

Types

There are four types of Desert Biomes: Hot and dry, Semiarid, Coastal, and Cold deserts.

Hot and dry deserts are exactly that. These deserts are usually very dry and warm throughout the year, yet very hot in the summer. Summer is the longest season.

Semiarid deserts are moderately hot, long and dry; however, there are winters that consist of very low times of rainfall.

Coastal deserts have cool winters followed by long warm summers with moderate rain.

Cold deserts are best known for the harsh winters that are very cold. These winters consist of rainfalls and much snow. Coastal deserts have short, warm summers and long winters.

Location Hot and dry deserts are located in North America, Southern Asia, Central and South America, Africa and Australia. Semiarid deserts exist in areas such as North America, Newfoundland, Greenland, Russia, Europe and Northern Asia. Coastal deserts are found in Central and South America, and cold deserts are located in Antarctica, North America, and Greenland.

Climate

Hot and dry desert temperatures are just that and average about 20-25 °C all year around.

Semiarid deserts can get as high as 21 to -27 °C and as low as 10 °C.

Coastal deserts can range from 13°to -24°C to 5°C.

Cold deserts averages between -2 ° to -4°C and 21° to -26° C.

Ecosystems Hot and dry desert plant life include: Ground-hugging shrubs and short woody trees. Cacti are common plants, along with yuccas, ocotillo, turpentine bush, prickly pears, false mesquite, sotol, ephedras, agaves and brittlebush.

Hot and dry desert animal life include: Burrowers and kangaroo rats. There are also insects, arachnids, reptiles and birds.

Semiarid desert plant life include: Creosote bush, bur sage white thorn, cat claw, mesquite, brittle bushes, lyceums, and jujube.

Semiarid desert animal life include: kangaroo rats, rabbits, and skunks; insects like grasshoppers and ants; reptiles are represented by lizards and snakes; and birds such as burrowing owls and the California thrasher.

Coastal desert plant life include: The salt bush, buckwheat bush, black bush, rice grass, little leaf horsebrush, black sage, and chrysothamnus.

Coastal desert animal life include: Fairy shrimps also lay dormant eggs.

Other animals include: insects, mammals (coyote and badger), amphibians (toads), birds (great horned owl, golden eagle and the bald eagle), and reptiles (lizards and snakes).

Cold desert plants include: Plants are deciduous, most having spiny leaves and are scattered. Animals include: jack rabbits, kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, pocket mice, grasshopper mice, and antelope ground squirrels.

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