What makes a climate extreme?

Dryness Warmer Aridity regions Very hot Hard to build a home Not much water No reliable food Infertile soil High temperature range in 24 hours (diurnal)

Short Case study- Sonoran Desert, USA

It is has an extreme climate because it gets very hot in the day. Night time temps can be below 0 degrees Celsius. There is also only 200mm of rainfall a year. But when it does rain the sand cannot soak it up as it evaporates almost straight away- evapotranspiration. Not many plants are able to survive, but the Saguaro Cactus had to adapt, they are only found on lower grounds of the desert, to collects as much moisture as it possibly needs. Creosote Bush and Ocotillo are also plants that have had to adapt in their own way to survive.

Long Case Study- Australia

Rain bearing winds blow from the Pacific to Australia. As the air descends from the mountains a rain shadow is created. This results in low rainfall in western areas.

Long Case Study- Australia

Plants
There are 3 main ways plants have adapted to the desert: -Succulence -Drought tolerance -Drought avoidance

Succulence

Plants store water in their leaves, stems and roots. Desert rains dont last long so the plants need to capture the water quick.

Drought tolerant plants

Plants have mechanisms which help them to survive in droughts. They have very long roots. Some plants like eucalyptus are evergreen and have waxy leaves that dont have many stomata

Drought avoidance
Some plants have a rapid life cycle and only life for a season e.g. in Autumn just after the rainfall.

Desert Animals- Australia

The Bilby: Nocturnal creatures who burrow deep in the ground where there is moisture and to shelter from heat, they eat things with a high content of water. They also have large ears to lose heat quicker. The Perentie: Top predator who also digs burrows to escape the heat, they hibernate from August-May to avoid the cold. Red Kangaroo: Largest marsupial who hops around to find food, they feed at dawn and dusk when it is cooler, they sleep through much of the day and they drink dew and rain.

Long Case Study- Australia Aboriginal People How have the Aboriginal People adapted to Australias extreme climate?

Food
They have learnt which conditions grubs need to live in, and created these. They have built dams to catch fish and to make pools to attract birds. They have used firestick farming so that it is easier for them to find food.

Lifestyle
They have found ways to create suitable homes for themselves. They have used fire to drive out animals for space for them and their families to live. They are able to get food.

Long Case Study

Threats to Australia because of its extreme climate.
Threats include: Water Shortages Farmers crops will not survive Bush fires will become more common Water has to be used sensibly etc.

What can Australia do to overcome these threats?

Change the types of plant/crop you grow into drought tolerant plants. Instead of growing cotton which need a lot of water grow something else. Dig more boreholes and dig deeper too. Divert rivers so that water gets to more places quicker e.g. In Cook. Build more dams. Get other countries to send in more clean drinking water.

Africa
The Sahel The Sahel has been affected because of the people that live there. People have overgrazed with cattle and cut down a lot of trees, it is hard for the cattle to live as they now have nothing to feed on but it is also hard for the farmers to live as they get their income from the cattle. There are not many minerals in the soil either and not much water so new plants and trees are not able to grow, so people who before relied on the crops for food will now have nothing to eat.

Diguettes
A Diguette is a long line of stones laid along the edge of the farmland. They help to protect from soil erosion. They slow down rainwater giving it a chance to properly soak into the ground. Crops are able to grow because of these. People are slowly building these to regain a living especially in Burkina Faso but local organisations are slowly helping locals of other countries and teaching them how to build Diguettes.

This PowerPoint featured places more to do with heat as its extreme climate. But other places such as Bangladesh have and extreme climate which is heavy flooding.