weather - desert Flashcards
what is a desert?
an area of land that receives no more than 25 cm of precipitation a year
what is the climate like?
dry, hot, little water to be found
why is the climate like that?
low rainfall, sparse vegetation
high temperatures cause rainfall to evaporate before reaching the ground
why is the Sonoran desert in drought?
- 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
what vegetation can be found in the sonar desert?
- saguaro cactus
- prickly pear
- palo verde
- creosote bushes
what is the soil like?
thing infertile and alkaline
flood compact soil leaving it impermeable
what are the adaptations of plants?
- long tap roots that grow very deep into the ground
- leaves have wax to seal in moisture
- will flower and pollenate during what periods
what is the adpatation of the saguaro cactus?
expands with water during wet season
shallow roots to get water in wet season
sunken stomata to retain water
what is the adpatation of the palo verde?
drought tolerant
loses leaves in dry season
has green bark to allow for photosynthesis without leaves
what is the adpatation of the creosote bushes?
small dark leaves to reduce transpiration
why is it dry in the desert?
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.
what can the temperature reach?
38 degrees
what is the rainfall like in the desert?
3-20 inches a year
