Hot Deserts- Fact File

Question 1

Distribution:

Answer 1

Belt approximately 30o north of the equator

Close to the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

Question 2

Areas:

Answer 2

North America
Middle east
South West USA (Atacama)
Africa (Sahara)

Question 3

Climate:

Answer 3

35-45oc in the summer
20-30oc in the winter
Dry all year
Very little rainfall

Question 4

Soil

Answer 4

Shallow with a coarse, gravelly texture
Infertile
Dry and soaks up water quickly
Sparse vegetation

Question 5

Adaptations

Answer 5

Plants are xerophytes ( a plant that needs very little eater )
Plant roots are long to tap into water supplies
Wide spread roots towards the surface
Cacti have swollen stems to store water
Thick waxy skin to reduce transpiration
Some plants have small and spikey leaves to reduce transpiration
Plants grow far apart to reduce competition