Section 2 - Deserts

Question 1

What is a desert defined as

Answer 1

An area with less than 250mm of precipitation per year

Question 2

What temperature can the desert reach in the day

Answer 2

50 celsius

Question 3

What temperature can the desert reach at night

Answer 3

0 celsius

Question 4

Describe 3 desert animal adaptations for camels

Answer 4

1. 2 sets of eyelashes
2. Hump stores fat
3. Leathery thick feet
4. Closing nostrils

Question 5

What is the purpose of camels nostrils and eyelashes

Answer 5

It keeps sand out of their eyes

Question 6

What is the purpose of the camel hump

Answer 6

It stores energy

Question 7

What is the purpose of desert animals having thick feet

Answer 7

Get a good stance in the stand and so they don’t burn them

Question 8

Describe 3 plant adaptations for plants

Answer 8

1. Bright seeds/ fruit
2. Saguaro cactus has spikes
3. Plants have long and narrow roots

Question 9

What is the purpose of bright seeds and fruit

Answer 9

Animals take them and naturally disperse the seeds

Question 10

What is the purpose of spikes

Answer 10

To ensure animals don’t enter and steal the water

Question 11

What is the purpose of long and narrow roots

Answer 11

To ensure as much water is taken in as possible

Question 12

How much water can the saguaro cactus store

Answer 12

8,000 litres

Question 13

What is desertification

Answer 13

when fertile land becomes dry, cracked and infertile due to excess heat and over farming

Question 14

Name 3 causes of desertification

Answer 14

1. Deforestation
2. Overgrazing
3. Poor farming practises

Question 15

How does deforestation cause desertification

Answer 15

The broken nutrients cycle means all nutrients becomes washed away so the soil eventually starts to erode. Also makes the earth get hotter, so more intense heat on land

Question 16

How does overgrazing cause desertification

Answer 16

The ground is constantly trampled on, causing it to become infertile, when the ground is abandoned it begins to crack

Question 17

How does poor farming cause desertification

Answer 17

As population increases, more food is needed so they over graze and over farm. Eventually this causes the ground around them to erode, so instead of fixing the problem they move somewhere else and leave the old land to die

Question 18

How can we prevent desertification

Answer 18

1. Plant more trees
2. Stone lines
3. Plant grass

Question 19

How much rainfall does the Sahel get

Answer 19

100-300mm

Question 20

How does planting trees prevent desertification

Answer 20

Acacia trees holds the soil together to prevent erosion. They also shade crops to make sure they have a good yield

Question 21

How do stone lines prevent desertification

Answer 21

It reduces leeching because it stops the water from slipping away and makes it soak into the ground, fertilising it

Question 22

How does planting grass prevent desertification

Answer 22

Roots hold the soil together. Also it is cheap and easy to grow

Question 23

How many people live in the Sahel

Answer 23

50million

Question 24

How does climate change cause desertification

Answer 24

climate change causes extreme weather, meaning extreme droughts so less vegetation and crops will grow. This means the soil isn’t held together and migrate to other places, so no one looks after the old land

Question 25

How does population increase cause desertification

Answer 25

It creates more need for energy, farming etc. More energy needed means more desertification for energy and more agriculture for food.