Desert Biomes
By Kyle Israel
Vitals of biome
- Deserts are located in North America, South America, Africa, Austrailia
- Abiotic factors: hot/warm temperatures and little precipitation
Climate of biome
- In desert biome, average temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Average rainfall is 1 inch per year in biome.
Plant life
- Plants have to find their water.
- They either have to get it from the rain or underground.
- Some plants get water from dew.
Saguaro Cactus
Stores water inside, doesn't need a lot of water
Prickly Pear Cactus
Its pads store water, roots adapt to climate
Triangle Lear Bursage
long roots allow it to survive in desert biome
Brittle Bush
Traps moisture in air and stores it into water.
Ocotillo
Like a tree, it sheds its leaves.
Animals
- Animals in the desert have to use tactics to survive.
- Sometimes it is hard to find food and water.
- Some animals come out at night when it's cooler.
Camel
Stores energy in hump, can go for a long time without water.
Badger
It digs burrows in the ground to live and keep cool.
Fennec Fox
Their large ears keep them cool.
Bighorn Sheep
When it is hot, it pants to keep cool.
Roadrunner
Ability to change its body temperature. Its black hair absorbs sun rays.
- Competition in the desert is hard for organisms. One example of competition is a group of species fighting for a water hole. Another is two coyotes competing for a dead rabbit carcass.
- For predator and prey relationships, a hawk is the predator and a snake is the prey. A coyote is the predator and a rabbit is the prey. A snake is the predator and a mouse is the prey. Lastly, a lizard would be a predator and a small insect would be the prey.
Additional info
- The Sahara desert in Northern Africa is the largest in the world.
Ecological concerns
- Some threats to the Desert biome are its change in climate temperatures, the grazing and overeating of animals, and human activities.
- The Mexican bobcat and cougar are two endangered species that live in the desert biome.
- A desert is important to humans because of its natural gas and fossil fuels underground.
References
- http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert.htm
- http://www.livingdesert.org/desert_animals.html
- http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/adaptations/camels.htm
- http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/desert/animals.htm
- http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/desert-threats/
- http://www.earthsendangered.com/index.asp