Hot deserts

Question 1

What is the desert climate like

Answer 1

-An area that receives less than 250mm of rainfall per year
-Day to night temperatures fluctuate from 50°C in the day to below 0°C at night because of the lack of cloud cover
-Dryness and aridity is the main factor controlling life in the desert

Question 2

Where are hot deserts located

Answer 2

Near the equator, between the tropic of cancer and Capricorn. Mainly located in the Northern hemisphere in the Northern part of Africa. An anomaly of this is the hot desert in Australia. Other deserts are found in the Middle East, but not in Western Europe. An example of one is the Sahara Desert

Question 3

What are the soils like in hot deserts

Answer 3

1. A lack of leaf fall limits the soils fertility
2. Little rainfall means the soil dries often
3. Soil is often shallow with gravelly texture

Question 4

What plants are in the deserts and what characteristics

Answer 4

-Due to the low, plant growth is sparse - the plants that do grow don’t need much water
-Usually short
-Many plants have short life cycles, growing quickly after rain

Question 5

What animals are in the desert and how are they adapted

Answer 5

-Animals are adapted to hot desert harsh environment
-Mammals tend to be small and nocturnal (e,g, kangaroo rats)
-Most birds leave the desert during the harshest conditions but birds, like roadrunners, can live there all year round

Question 6

What people live in the desert

Answer 6

-Many people living in deserts grow a few crops near natural water sources, usually in the desert fringes
-Indigenous people are often nomadic - they keep travelling to find food and water for their livestock