By Alison Catalano Desert

Location 33% of earths surface is desert Found mostly between 30 degrees north and south latitude of the equator Many deserts are located near mountains

Precipitation A desert is defined as an area which receives less than 10in of rainfall annually. When located near a mountain the hot moist air rises up the mountain and cools as it gets higher and the water in the air condenses causing rain to fall on one side of the mountain

Temperature Amount of light Hot and dry desert Average 20-25° C. extreme 43.5-49° C Semiarid desert Average summer 21-27° C Coastal desert Average summer 21-25° C  Cold desert Average summer 21-26° C. Its sunny and hot everyday the weather hardly ever changes and there is very little water causing very little amounts of clouds

Air quality Nutrient level There aren't a lot of people who live in or use the desert so most of the desert air is relatively unpolluted however there still is some toxins and harmful gasses in the air as a result of mining and drilling for oil Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium and sulfur are common nutrients found in the soil in the desert and is used by most plants

Common plants Wooly daisy Saguaro cactus Prockly pear cactus Barrel cactus Cocklebur The joshua tree Desert paintbrush Tumbleweed Hedgehog cactus Century plant Mohave yucca Etc.

Common amimals Bighorn sheep Bobcat Gray fox Jack rabbit Wild burro Prairie dog Common barn owl Porcupine Desert iguana Black chinned hummingbird Kangaroo rat Roadrunner Sidewinder Gila monster Scorpion Coyote Desert tortoise Etc.

Endangered animals Aplomado Falcon Bald Eagle The desert is the home of many ecosystems full of life but due to over mining for oil and global warming the plant life has caused many challenges for pants thus making it hard or some desert animals to survive Aplomado Falcon  Bald Eagle  Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl  Chiricahua Leopard frog Desert Pupfish Gila Chub  Gila Topminnow Jaguar   Jaguarundi Lesser Long Nosed Bat Masked Bobwhite Mexican Gray Wolf Mexican Spotted Owl Mountain Plover Sonoran Pronghorn Sonoyta Mud Turtle Southwestern Willow Flycatcher  Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo 

Endangered plants Kearney's Blue Star Bear poppy Acuna Cactus The desert is the home of many ecosystems full of life but due to over mining for oil and global warming the plant life has caused many challenges for pants thus making it hard or some desert animals to survive Kearney's Blue Star Bear poppy Acuna Cactus Nichol's Turk's Head Cactus  Ocelot Pima Pineapple Cactus Arizona Cypress Ash Meadow Milkvetch Fishhook Cactus Huachuca Water Umbel

Mans influence cause and effect As a result of gold mining potassium cyanide can poison the desert organisms humans use the desert for nuclear testing and the nuclear waist is dumped as well. Oil and gas production in the desert can harm sensitive habitats Global warming causes wild fires and an increase of water holes drying up due to drought and wild fires