Jack Kenney and Tracie Smith

 Deserts are present on every continent except Europe. They cover many countries; for example, nearly all of Algeria is covered by the Sahara Desert. Parts of China and Mongolia lie in the Gobi Desert.

 Deserts are made up of sand and rocky surfaces. Cold deserts, such as the desert in Antarctica, are mostly made up of ice sheets and a little bit of barren rock.

 There isn’t an average temperature in deserts, because deserts are present in all regions of the world. Temperatures can be scorching hot in the Sahara in Africa and below freezing in the Antarctic Desert.

A climatogram describes the average temperature and rainfall for each month in a given climate. A desert’s climate is described in this climatogram, based on data collected at Baghdad, Iraq.

 Deserts are known for having little wildlife, but actually have high biodiversity. Most animals stay hidden during the day to control body temperature and to limit moisture needs. There are coyotes, jack rabbits, and many species of lizards. There are many shrubs and cacti in deserts, such as the Desert Holly and the Brittlebush. They have small, spiny leaves which shed less moisture than deciduous leaves with greater surface areas. This adaptation allows them to save as much moisture as they can.

 There aren’t many issues or threats that are directly affect deserts. One threat could be pollution. People try to avoid deserts, so they’re left alone for the most part. There aren’t any trees to cut down or animals to hunt for food.

 Some deserts have rich mineral deposits, and small mining operations are set up to capitalize on them. There are also large oil deposits in some areas of the Middle East, which are tapped into to provide gasoline.

 There isn’t much in a desert to attract tourism. A desert is a hostile, potentially deadly environment for unprepared people. The high temperatures and lack of moisture will cause people to lose water quickly. If a person does not stay properly hydrated in a desert, they can die in days. There are also sandstorms to avoid in some areas. Poisonous animals such as scorpions and some large spiders will deter people from visiting.