Desert Biome

Did you know that one-third of the land on Earth is so dry and harsh that only
specific plants and animals can survive there? Although this statistic may seem
unreal, it is true that one-third of the land on Earth is an extremely dry environment,
known as the desert biome.
Bsic facts about desert
Deserts are found across our planet along two fringes parallel to the equator at 25
35 latitude in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Deserts are arid or dry
regions and receive less than 10 inches of rain per year. Biologically, they contain
plants and animals adapted for survival in arid environments. Physically they are
large areas with a lot of bare soil and low vegetation cover. The worlds deserts
occupy almost one-quarter of the earths land surface, which is approximately 20.9
million square miles.
Climate and temperature
The desert biome is an example of terrestrial (land) biome. Daytime temperatures
are high in summer and low in winter in temperate desert biomes. The average
temperature range in temperate desert biomes is between 30 F and 70 F.
.Desert Formation
Deserts landscapes are more diverse than many expect. Some are found on a flat
shield of ancient crystalline rocks hardened over many millions of years, yielding
flat deserts of rock and sand such as the Sahara. Others are the folded product of
more recent tectonic movements, and have evolved into crumpled landscapes of
rocky mountains emerging from lowland sedimentary plains, as in Central Asia or
North America .
Animals
Desert animals have evolved to handle the desert's heat and lack of water. They
have adapted their bodies and behaviors to the desert climate. Most can survive on
small amounts of water and many get all of their water from their food.

bighorn sheep

blackwidows

camel

cobra

ostrich

scorpion

sidewinder

xerus

Human impacts

Human Activities
Many types of human activites affect the desert biome. Like off roading,
when we run our vehicles over the desert soil and carve the tracks into the soil that
will scar the land for many years. These tracks can kill off vegitation in the desert.
When the vegitation is hurt so are the animals. Animals that rely on the sandy
desert floor for camouflage can also be harmed greatly.
Water Depravation
There is so little water that moves through the desert, the plants with water
are provided with water from irragation from rivers and wells. By removing fossil
water from reservoirs humans are basically mining for water. Once this water is
gone it is gone for good. Burning and overgrazing the land on the desert may
irreversibly damage some plants thay holds the soil together and concentrate the
amount of water, causing deserts to encroach on arable land. This is a serious
problem for the world, it is called desertification. In 1984 a desertification study
went down in the UN saying that 35 percent of Earth's surface was effected by that
process.
Military Excercises
Military excercises can cause extensive damage to plants and soil in the
desert, but many military bases are not open to the public, they also protect many
thousands of acres from any other disterbunces.
Running Pipes
Trenching that is asociated with underground piplines for gas, oil, water, etc.
makes soil crusts and rock surfaces unstable, concetrating erosion and water runoff.
Reaserch has shown that it takes more than 30 years for these areas to recover.

Tourist destination
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Death Valley

Red Rock Canyon State Park

Joshua Tree National Park