weather - desert Flashcards

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1
Q

what is a desert?

A

an area of land that receives no more than 25 cm of precipitation a year

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2
Q

what is the climate like?

A

dry, hot, little water to be found

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3
Q

why is the climate like that?

A

low rainfall, sparse vegetation

high temperatures cause rainfall to evaporate before reaching the ground

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4
Q

why is the Sonoran desert in drought?

A
  • climate change and drying up of Colorado river basin

- people in cities take the limited water supply from the desert and the area is naturally a desert

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5
Q

what vegetation can be found in the sonar desert?

A
  • saguaro cactus
  • prickly pear
  • palo verde
  • creosote bushes
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6
Q

what is the soil like?

A

thing infertile and alkaline

flood compact soil leaving it impermeable

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7
Q

what are the adaptations of plants?

A
  • long tap roots that grow very deep into the ground
  • leaves have wax to seal in moisture
  • will flower and pollenate during what periods
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8
Q

what is the adpatation of the saguaro cactus?

A

expands with water during wet season
shallow roots to get water in wet season
sunken stomata to retain water

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9
Q

what is the adpatation of the palo verde?

A

drought tolerant
loses leaves in dry season
has green bark to allow for photosynthesis without leaves

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10
Q

what is the adpatation of the creosote bushes?

A

small dark leaves to reduce transpiration

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11
Q

why is it dry in the desert?

A

There is less precipitation in the desert because of the Hadley cell, the drier air moves away from the equator, while the wetter air gets dropped as heavy rain near the equator.

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12
Q

what can the temperature reach?

A

38 degrees

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13
Q

what is the rainfall like in the desert?

A

3-20 inches a year

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