Desert

All about desert

The desert biome is an ecosystem that forms due to the low level of rainfall it receives each year. Deserts cover about 20% of the earth. Deserts are of four types – hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. They are all able to inhabit plant & animal life that are able to survive there.

Location

Most deserts that cover the earths surface are located on the eastern hemisphere of the globe. However, there are a few in the United States in Neveda, New Mexico, Texas and littler ones in other states. The Sahara desert sits in the upper regions of Africa and is the largest desert in the world. Other deserts can be found in Asia and Europe, and a few in Australia as well. Australia’s land consists of the Gibson desert, and the Simpson desert. Also there is the desert of peru in South America.

Climate

Hot deserts have an extreme climate and challenging environment. There is very little biodiversity in hot deserts. Temperature is it hot deserts may reach 38°C or more. Deserves receive less than 25 cm rainfall per year. Cold is not have shot, moist, and moderately warm summers. The winters are long and cold.

Wildlife

Desert animals

The desert habitat is a home to a variety of animals that have adapted to survive in the harsh and dry conditions. Some of the most iconic desert animals have obvious physical characteristics that have enabled them to adapt to their environment. Some of the desert animals are camel, bobcat, coyote, Jack rabbit, mountain lion, red tailed hawk, hummingbird, barn owl, turkey vulture and many more.

Endangered/extinct species

Threatened animals are added to the endangered list when any of the following factors are mate: threatened habitat, human activity that imperils the animal, disease, in adequate regulatory protection, or the human cost or natural events that threaten the animal survival. Amargosa voles, Peninsula bighorn sheep and desert pupfish are three of the endangered species.

Vegetation

The plants that live in coastal desert include saltbush, rice grass, black sage. Plants and even live in cold desert, but you won’t find as many there as in other types of deserts. Plants in cold deserts include algae, grasses, and plants which spiny thin leaves.