Hot Deserts

Climate

Little rainfall

Less than 250 mm per year

Might only rain once a year

temperatures are extreme

Soil

Shallow, coarse, gravelly texture

hardly any leaf fall

not fertile

dry soil

plants

sparse, lack of rainfall

cacti and thornbushes

short plants

short life cycle

Animals

adapted to survive the harsh environment

lizards, snakes, insects and scorpions

Mammals tend to be small and nocternal

most birds leave the desert during harsh conditions.

People

grow very few crops.

they move all the time in search for water.

Biodiversity is higher in places with water

Plants have to adapt to the environment to survive. the roots are very long so that they can get to the water lower down. The plants are able to storage more water so when it does rain they can get as much as they can. Most plants have spines on them so that predictors won't eat them. \they also have spins instead of leaves for a smaller surface area so that there will be less water lost.

Animals also adapt to the environment so that they can survive. They camouflage into the sand so they have tan colored skin which will also mean that the light will reflect of them so that they wont get two hot in the sun. They are also nocturnal so that they can save energy because it is colder an night. Big animals store fat and water so tat they can go a long time without it. some also have long eyelashes and double eyelids so that they don't get sand and dirt in there eyes.

Development

Mineral resources

oil and gas

solar energy

Tourism

Farming

Desertification

Climate change

Rainfall

Temperature

Human activity

Removal of fuel wood

Overgrazing

Over-cultivation

Population Growth

Reduce

Water management

Tree planting

Soil managment

Appropriate technology