Desert Biome Flashcards
What is soil like hot and dry?
course-textured, shallow, rocky or gravely with good drainage and have no subsurface water.
Flora? hot and dry
ground-hugging shrubs and short woody trees. yuccas, ocotillo, turpentine bush, prickly pears, false mesquite, sotol, ephedras, agaves and brittlebush.
What is the leaves like? hot and dry
small, thick and covered with a thick cuticle (outer layer).
Fauna?hot and dry
burrowers and kangaroo rats. There are also insects, arachnids, reptiles and birds.
What is the routine of the animals?hot and dry
stay inactive in protected hideaways during the hot day and come out to forage at dusk, dawn or at night,
Rainfall- semiarid
average rainfall ranges from 2-4 cm annually.
how do plant leaves survive?
silvery or glossy leaves, allowing them to reflect more radiant energy. These plants often have an unfavorable odor or taste.
Plants in semi arid
Creosote bush, bur sage (Franseria dumosa or F. deltoidea), white thorn, cat claw, mesquite, brittle bushes (Encelia farinosa), lyciums, and jujube.
How do fauna beat the heat- semi arid
they stay in shade or burrow
Fauna in semi-arid
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.
Temperature in semi arid.
55-75 F
Flora in the coastal
grasses and bushes
coastal soil
pours with quick drainage
fauna in coastal
amphibians, snakes, coyotes, badger,toads
coastal temp
32-95 f
