Deserts usually have a temperature of 20° - 25°C. But during summer and warmer seasons they can range from 43.5°-49°C. During the night temperatures can drop down as low as -18°C. Deserts hardly get any rain rain per year, most deserts get no rain at all.
The soils located in deserts are very course, shallow, rocky or gravely with good draining meaning they have no subsurface water. Finer soils, dust and sand are blown away only leaving heavier pieces such as rocks and gravel behind.
Shelter in deserts is quite rare. Most plants in deserts and ground hugging shrubs and short trees. Leaves in deserts are 'replete' which means they are able to support nutrients and have water saving characteristics. The leaves tend to be small, thick and covered with a thick outer layer. Some plants only open there stomata (which are the microscopic openings in in the leaves which allow for gas exchange) during the night as its no where near as hot as during the day which means that the water will evaporate slower than during the day in the heat. Some of these plants include yuccas, prickly pear trees, sotol, agaves and brittlebush.
Animals that live in desert terrains have to be able to burrow underground as it is almost impossible to live out in those extreme temperatures. Some animals that live there include small nocturnal carnivores, insects, arachnids, reptiles and birds. But, the main animal that lives there are kangaroo rats. These animals usually stay inactive and protected in hideaways during the day and come out during the dawn, night or dusk, whichever is cooler that day. Not many large animals are able to survive in deserts as they find it hard to find shelter during the hot days, although camels are one of the very few large animals that can survive. They have adapted and they are able to store water for long periods of time.
There are many deserts in the world some being the Australian Desert, North American Desert, Sahara Desert and the Nevada Desert.
The soils located in deserts are very course, shallow, rocky or gravely with good draining meaning they have no subsurface water. Finer soils, dust and sand are blown away only leaving heavier pieces such as rocks and gravel behind.
Shelter in deserts is quite rare. Most plants in deserts and ground hugging shrubs and short trees. Leaves in deserts are 'replete' which means they are able to support nutrients and have water saving characteristics. The leaves tend to be small, thick and covered with a thick outer layer. Some plants only open there stomata (which are the microscopic openings in in the leaves which allow for gas exchange) during the night as its no where near as hot as during the day which means that the water will evaporate slower than during the day in the heat. Some of these plants include yuccas, prickly pear trees, sotol, agaves and brittlebush.
Animals that live in desert terrains have to be able to burrow underground as it is almost impossible to live out in those extreme temperatures. Some animals that live there include small nocturnal carnivores, insects, arachnids, reptiles and birds. But, the main animal that lives there are kangaroo rats. These animals usually stay inactive and protected in hideaways during the day and come out during the dawn, night or dusk, whichever is cooler that day. Not many large animals are able to survive in deserts as they find it hard to find shelter during the hot days, although camels are one of the very few large animals that can survive. They have adapted and they are able to store water for long periods of time.
There are many deserts in the world some being the Australian Desert, North American Desert, Sahara Desert and the Nevada Desert.