Deserts

Where are tropical rainforests located?

Equator

Where are hot deserts located?

30 degrees North and South of Equator

Where are Tundras located?

60 degrees North and South of Equator

How much rainfall do hot deserts get?

>250mm

What’s the soil like?

• Dry and not fertile

• Little decomposition

• Nutrients decay due to high temperatures

What’s biodiversity like?

Biodiversity is low

What’s a plant adaptation in a desert?

Cacti have waxy skin to reduce water loss and long deep roots to gather as much water as possible

What’s an animal adaptation?

Camels have long eyelashes to protect against sand and they store fat in their humps for energy and they have large flat feet to spread their weight on the sand

What’s desertification?

When land becomes drier and degraded

What are the causes of desertification?

• Climate change- less rainfall

• Overgrazing- animals strip land of vegetation

• Overcultivation- replanting crops in same area robs the soil of nutrients

• Removal of fuelwood- cutting trees down leaves the soil exposed and vulnerable to erosion