Hot deserts 1 Flashcards
Characteristics, desertification, plant and animal adaptations
What are the conditions of a hot desert?
-Hot, dry ecosystems
-Little rainfall
-Extreme temps (huge diurnal range)
-Harsh environments
How much rainfall does a hot desert receive per year?
under 250mm
What is the diurnal range of hot deserts?
-Up to 45°C during the day
-Can drop below 0°C at night
The harsh environment means that…
…plants and animals have lots of adaptations to suit the difficult conditions.
What is interdependence?
How two or more species depend on each other.
Describe the interdependence of plants and animals in hot deserts.
-Plants take up nutrients from the soil and provide water and nutrients to the animals that eat them.
-In turn, animals spread seeds through their dung, helping plants to reproduce.
Describe the interdependence of climate and soils in hot deserts.
-The hot and dry climate affects soils
-High evaporation rates mean soils are salty
-Soils are relatively low in nutrients as there is little decomposition of dead material by fungi and bacteria
Describe the interdependence of soils and plants/animals/people in hot deserts.
-Little decomposition means infertile soils
-This means that plants struggle to grow
-Sparse vegetation limits the amount of food available
-Which means that deserts can only support low density populations of animals and people
Biodiversity
The variety of organisms living in an area (plants + animals)
Why is biodiversity in hot deserts low?
-Little rainfall and extreme temps make it hard for plants and animals to survive
-Soils are infertile so nutrient cycling is very slow
How will climate change impact biodiversity in hot deserts?
It will lower biodiversity as it will lead to more extreme temps which makes survival even harder.
Camel adaptations
-Thick insulating fur
-Hump (stored fat) that can be broken down for nutrients
-large, thick, wide feet preventing the camel sinking into the sand, or getting burnt by it
-2 sets of interlocking eyelashes (see in sandstorms)
How is thick insulating fur an advantage for animals in hot deserts?
-Protects them from the sun by day
-Keeps warmth in by night
-(so insulates both from cold and heat)
Fennec fox adaptations
-Thick insulating fur
-They live in underground burrows (where the heat is less extreme)
-Small to shed heat faster
-Large ears give them a large surface area to lose heat from
-Camouflage coat (protects from predators)
-Furry pads on feat (maximum traction across sand)
Hot Desert animals are adapted to…
…cope with the harsh (hot and dry) physical conditions.
Hot desert plants are adapted to…
…help them cope with the high temperatures and limited supply of water
Cacti adaptations
-Are succulents (store water in stems)
-Have thick, waxy skins (to hold water and reduce the rate of transpiration)
-Spines
How are spines on cacti an advantage?
-Having spines rather than leaves reduces the surface area through which water can be lost by transpiration
-Contain toxins to protect from predators (such as Jackrabbits)
Mesquite tree adaptations
-Taproots which are long to reach deep water supplies (up to 50m underground)
-Fibrous roots
Fibrous roots
Laterally spreading roots widely dispersed around the tree, near the surface of the ground, to absorb as much water as possible when it rains.
Where is biodiversity the highest in hot deserts?
Around water sources, such as oasis.
Why is biodiversity in hot desert environments particularly vulnerable to human activity?
-Most species (a + p) live near water sources
-This is also where human pops. are the highest
-Human activity in these areas is therefore likely to have a negative impact on biodiversity
-If water sources are used up (e.g. for irrigation) or contaminated (e.g. by livestock) there is no water available for p+a so they might die
-Also, human activities are thought to be contributing to climate change
-CC may make some desert environments hotter and drier
-So species that are adapted to particular conditions may move or die out
What is desertification?
The process by which semi-arid land becomes desert.
How does population growth cause desertification?
-There is a clear link between migration and desertification
-More people in an area puts more pressure on the land as this increases the likelihood of overcultivation and animals overgrazing