Desert

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 * Desert Biome**
 * By: Gabe and Joey**

=What is a Desert Biome?=

This Biome can be Hot and Cold, most plants and animals do not live in these climates. A Cold biome is a barren area of land covered i snow and is extremely cold. A hot biome is also barren but has high temperatures and only drops a few degrees at night.

What regions are known for being Deserts?

 * Mojave Desert
 * Sahara Desert
 * Antarctic Desert
 * Gobi Desert

=Temperature Charts for Desert Regions:=

Hot Desert Climate Chart:
This chart depicts the areas of hot desert climates. Hot Desert Climates are have extremely hot summers. At night the temperature only drops a few degrees making the desert a very arid place to live. Hot desert climates feature hot, typically exceptionally hot, periods of the year. In many locations featuring a hot desert climate, maximum temperatures of 40°C to 45°C are not uncommon in summer. During colder periods of the year, night-time temperatures can drop to freezing because the loss of sun ray exposure being so sudden. However, very rarely do temperatures drop far below freezing.

Cold Desert Climate Chart:
Cold desert climates have extremely cold winters and a bearable summer. The chart depicts the areas which have a cold climate. Notice that some regions on the chart above over lap with this one. That is because some deserts have a cold area. However there is one exception on the Antarctic; the Antarctic is technically a desert.

Mild Desert Climates:
=Examples of desert climates:=
 * An Extremely rare climate area.
 * Mainly seen areas close to the pacific ocean.
 * Coastal mild deserts, frequent fog and low clouds, despite the fact that these places can rank among the driest on Earth in terms of actual precipitation received.
 * Mild desert climates are characterized by more moderate temperatures than encountered elsewhere.

Mojave Desert:
To serve as an example, this chart show the climate of the Mojave Desert year round. The Mojave is located in the southwestern region of the United States.

Antarctic Desert:
This image is of the Antarctic Desert. As you can see there is absolutely nothing for miles. The weather conditions vary with Antarctica, they can change very rapidly and without warning.

Weather Conditions of the Antarctic Desert
They are categorized into three conditions: //Wind speed:// over 60 miles per hour //Visibility//: less than 100 feet //Wind chill//: below −100 °F (−73 °C) //Description//: Dangerous conditions; outside travel is not permitted. //Wind speed//: 55 to 63 miles per hour //Visibility//: 1/4 of a mile to 100 feet //Wind chill:// of -75 °F (-60 °C) to −100 °F (−73 °C) //Description//: Unpleasant conditions; outside travel is permitted but not recommended. //Wind speed:// below 48 knots (55 miles per hour) //Visibility:// greater than 1/4 of a mile (402 meters) //Wind chill:// above -75 °F (-60 °C) //Description//: Pleasant conditions; all outside travel is permitted.
 * Condition 1:**
 * Condition 2:**
 * Condition 3**:

Ice Sheet:
All of the Antarctic desert is covered with sheets of ice. The ice is recorded to be 1.6 Kilometers thick which is 1749.7 yards(0.99 miles) thick. Antarctica has a little over 90% of the world's ice and 70% of that is fresh water.

=Food Webs:=

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=Plants and Animals:=

Animals of the Gobi Desert:
is one of the world's most endangered animals, with only 50 individuals remaining. Wildlife conservationists are trying their best to save them. A takhi

Animals of the Antarctic Desert:
The Weddle Seal, is found in the antarctic desert near the ocean.

Plants of the Mojave Desert:




Plants of the Gobi Desert:
This is the the Mongolian equivalent to the nettle and gives a long lasting sting. The Wild onion is crucial for wild animals in the winter without it the would starve.



Plants of the Antarctic Desert:
One of the only types of plants that are found in the antarctic desert, are lichens which is a moss. Only indigenous species of plants can live in the antarctic desert because of the extreme conditions.

=Future predictions:=
 * 1) Desertification: when drought happens, land slowly begins to degrade and becomes and arid area where only a few plants and animals can survive. The ground becomes cracked and rough. It is estimated that some drylands will be considered a desert in a few more decades.
 * 2) Although is it very far from happening the melting of the ice in the antarctic, fully, would raise the water leave by 60meters.
 * 3) Fishing in the antarctic will dwindle the numbers of sea life that call the antarctic home.

=Points of Interest:=

3.


=Human Impacts:=

1. Off-Roading: Off-Roading, or the driving of all-terrain vehicles over desert terrain, is extremely damaging to the environment. Habitats are animals' habitats are destroyed and plants are killed. Additionally, there is no positive aspect, so off-roading is just plain damaging to the desert.

2. Roads: While much of the Mojave is relatively undisturbed by human life, roads have been put up for cars to cross the desert. This has a double impact. First, the roads themselves disrupt the rocky, dirty terrain. Animals cannot live or burrow in the roads. Obviously, these roads allow more cars to travel down them, adding the the number of man-made pollutants and trash put into the desert. (12)

3. National Parks: While national parks, such as the "Grand Canyon" do their best to be environmentally friendly, there is no getting around major human impact. Land around the parks has to be changed somewhat to accommodate buildings, and roads and footpaths need to be brought in. National parks also bring high amounts of human traffic to areas that would be otherwise undisturbed.

4. Mining for resources has displaced many plants and animals by removing the earth that they use for homes.

5. Harvesting of plants and animals: Animal and plant collectors have also devastated the desert. People who collect rare species of cacti have completely wiped out entire populations.

=Human Adaptations:=
 * 1) Camels: In the Sahara, humans use camels as transportation across the treacherous terrain. Camels are among the only animals big enough to carry humans that can survive for days on end without water, waiting to get to the next oasis. They also can carry heavy loads, so humans can not only bring supplies, but also goods across the desert. Humans have been using camels for thousands of years.
 * 2) Wells: Humans have also long been using wells as a means of gathering and storing water. In a desert climate, water is scarce, and what water there is usually is best found underground. By digging wells, humans can collect ground and rain water, and this water is then stored for their consumption.
 * 3) Hides: The nomadic tribes of the Sahara desert had to use hides and furs of desert animals (like Camels and Goats) to make portable tents that would protect them from both the harsh sunlight and bitter cold nights. These tents were key to their survival. ( 11. Palomar College)

= = =Natural Resources:= The natural resources of a dry and hot desert would be the minerals below the ground, that is why mining is a large problem for the desert biomes.
 * 1) Zinc
 * 2) Copper
 * 3) Uranium
 * 4) Aloevera
 * 5) Rocks
 * 6) Cactus

=Sources:=
 * [] (Mojave)
 * [] (To go over all, desert climates)
 * [] (Plants)
 * [] (animals)
 * [] (animals)
 * [] (plants)
 * []
 * [|http://www.greenfacts.org/en/desertification/l-2/index.htm#0]

> > > 7. > //Cactus//. Digital image. //Boca Health//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . > > 8. > //Pyramid//. Digital image. //Memphis Tours//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . > > 9. > //Grand Canyon//. Digital image. //Famous Tourisms//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . > > 10. > //Dinosaur Fossil//. Digital image. //Danny.Oz//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . > > 11. "Adapting To Climate Extremes." //Palomar College//. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . > > 12. Watkins, Jeffery. "[Regents Prep Global History] Human & Physical Geography: Human Impact." //Oswego City School District Regents Exam Prep Center//. 4 Oct. 2011. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. . > > 13. > Food Web 1. Digital image. Venutre Africa. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
 * 1) //Camel//. Photograph. //Photocase.com//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
 * 2) //Deathstalker Scorpion//. Digital image. //Worsley School//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
 * 3) Coyote. Digital image. //Blogspot.com//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
 * 4) //Rattlesnake//. Digital image. //Hike the Geek//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
 * 1) //Thyme//. Digital image. //Mystic Oaks Herbs//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
 * 2) //Saxaul Tree//. Digital image. //Webcoist.com//. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .

> 14. //Desert Food Web II//. Digital image. //ExploringNature.org//. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .