Living World - Hot Deserts

Question 1

desert

Answer 1

area that receives less than 250 mm of rainfall per year

Question 2

located

Answer 2

• at tropics of cancer and capricorn
• away from coasts

Question 3

dirunal temperature range

Answer 3

difference between dail min and max temp bc clouds in sky = high levels of insolation in day, low levels of insulation at night

Question 4

soil

Answer 4

often:
* infertile
* less than 1meter
* v dry
* water evaporates, leaving salt on top
* sometimes fertile due to calcium deposits

Question 5

pioneer species

Answer 5

first to colonise an environment

Question 6

plant adaptations

saguaro cactus

Answer 6

• pleats in trunk to stores 5 tonnes of water
• they bloom at night
• flowers attract bats which pollinate
• small waxy leaves to minimise transpiration
• donward spikes to filter water into depressions

Question 7

animal adaptations

shovel snouted lizard

Answer 7

raises each foot off the ground allowing to to cool

Question 8

animal adaptations

darkling beetles

Answer 8

travel to top of dunes when foggy to consume as much as moistuer as possible

Question 9

animal adaptations

lesser jerboa

Answer 9

• long legs to quickly escape predators
• hairy feet to easily move in the sand

Question 10

animal adaptations

sidewinder

Answer 10

only uses the sides of its body to move for minimum contact with ground

Question 11

plant adaptations

lichen

Answer 11

releases chemicals to break down rocks to gain nutrients they need instead of needing soil

Question 12

animal adaptations

web footed geckos

Answer 12

eat darkling beetles when they are coming down the dune

Question 13

animal adaptations

golden mole

Answer 13

moves underground and at night to avoid surface daytime heat

Question 14

plant adaptations

acacia

Answer 14

• long roots as deep as 50m for water
• fire resistant