Hot Deserts Flashcards
1
Q
How is a camel adapted for living in a desert?
A
- Hump which stores fat
- Thick fur
- Wide feet so they don’t sink in the sand
- Long eyelashes
- Hairy eyes
- Closing nostrils
2
Q
Describe the distribution of hot deserts
A
- Most are located near the tropics
- The Sahara is located near the tropic of cancer
- However, some deserts are located in rain shadow areas or further away from the tropics such as the Atacama desert
3
Q
What are deserts like in the day and night?
A
- In the day deserts are very hot
- In the night deserts are cold
4
Q
What do plants and animals have to do to survive in the desert?
A
- Adapt to life there
5
Q
How is a saguaro cactus adapted for life in the desert?
A
- Thin waxy skin to reduce water loss
- Thorns to prevent herbivores from eating them
- Shallow roots to absorb water as fast as possible when it rains
6
Q
How much water did Southern Nevada Water save?
A
- 119 billion gallons of water
7
Q
How many visitors go to the western desert each year?
A
- 37 million
8
Q
What are the causes of desertification?
A
- Deforestation
- Land being farmed to intensively
- Animals grazed at to higher numbers
9
Q
How do we prevent desertification
A
- Bunds: Lets water flow slower meaning it has more chance of infiltration
- Educating children about desertification
- Great Green Wall (Sahra Desert)
10
Q
Where does desertification tend to take place?
A
- 90% of inhabitants of drylands live in developing countries
- There is poor economic growth, therefore, they make use of farmland and resources of vegetation
- Desertification is therefore increasing due to poverty
