A biome defined by scarcity of water rather than by heat: any region receiving very little annual precipitation qualifies, which is why deserts range from the scorching Sahara to the frigid Gobi and the polar ice deserts of Antarctica. Plants and animals here carry specialized adaptations for conserving water and tolerating extreme daily temperature swings, since clear skies and thin vegetation let deserts lose heat rapidly after sunset even when daytime temperatures are severe. Hot deserts cover roughly a fifth of the Earth's land surface, concentrated in belts near 30 degrees north and south latitude where descending dry air suppresses rainfall.
Facts
Climate
Annual Precipitation (mm)Desert precipitation varies hugely by subtype, from well under 25mm a year in hyper-arid cores to close to the roughly 250mm ceiling most definitions use; 150mm is a representative mid-range figure, not a single measured site. Typical Low Temperature (C)A hot desert's own night low can fall well below freezing; the figure recorded here is a representative hot-desert winter night low, not the extreme reached in a cold desert such as the Gobi. Typical High Temperature (C)45C is a representative hot-desert summer day figure; the most extreme deserts reach as high as 54C. Connections
Demonstrates
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Home To
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source Chihuahuan Desert (Wikipedia)
Source Gobi Desert (Wikipedia)
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Source Sahara (Wikipedia)
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source Sonoran Desert (Wikipedia)
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source World Wildlife Fund
Sources
1. Desert (National Geographic Education)
National Geographic EducationDesert - Introduction
Most experts agree that a desert is an area of land that receives no more than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation a year.
Desert - Desert Characteristics
Although some deserts are very hot, with daytime temperatures as high as 54C (130F), other deserts have cold winters or are cold year-round.
Desert - Chihuahuan Desert example
Daytime temperatures in the Chihuahua can climb beyond 37C (100F), while nighttime temperatures can dip below freezing (0C or 32F).
View the Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.britannica.com/science/desert, opening definition paragraph
desert, any large, extremely dry area of land with sparse vegetation. It is one of Earth’s major types of ecosystems, supporting a community of distinctive plants and animals specially adapted to the harsh environment.
- Home To: Saguaro Cactus
- Demonstrates: Photosynthesis
View the Source Sahara (Wikipedia)
Gobi Desert (Wikipedia)
Sonoran Desert (Wikipedia)
Chihuahuan Desert (Wikipedia)
World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund- Home To: Arabian Desert
- Home To: Atacama Desert
- Home To: Great Victoria Desert
- Home To: Karakum Desert
- Home To: Mojave Desert
- Home To: Namib Desert
- Home To: Simpson Desert
- Home To: Taklamakan Desert
- Home To: Thar Desert
View the Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration- Demonstrates: Dust Storm
- Demonstrates: Haboob
- Demonstrates: Heat Wave
- Demonstrates: Mirage
- Demonstrates: Dust Devil
- Demonstrates: Flash Flood
- Demonstrates: Microburst
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.