Zoologist By: Lauren

Abiotic Features Sand Sunlight Air Water Temperature Rocks

Biotic Factors Scorpion Snake Spider Lizard Cacti

How Biotic and Abiotic Factors Help the Desert Abiotic and Biotic factors help the desert because they help the desert survive, with out them the desert would not exist. The Abiotic factors help animals keep their body temperature up, allows them to drink and breath and live. For example, a rock could supply a home for a snake. Also, the sand is pale colored so it doesn’t draw sun and that keeps the desert cooler near the ground. The biotic factors help the desert by always keeping it clean and keeping a healthy ecosystem. That is why the desert has so many decomposers such as dung beetles and scorpions. Without any of these recourses there would not be a desert.

3 Carnivores

Fennec Fox rniivore The fennec fox has large ears which lets it hear very well. Also, it’s sandy- colored fur reflects heat during the day and conserves it at night.

Horned Viper The horned viper has horns on it’s head which protects its eyes from the sand, and predators. Also, it burrows under a rock to keep cool during the day.

Mountain Lion The mountain lion is very ferocious and fast which makes it easy to catch prey. Also, they have a pale coat which doesn’t attract sun.

3 Herbivores

Camel Herbivore The camel has very long eyelashes which keep sand out of their eyes and thick eyebrows which block the sun. Also, they can go up to a week without water and preserve water from the plants they eat.

Desert Turtle Herbivore The desert turtle can go up to a year with out water when they are full grown. Also, they can hide under their shell for protection.

Dorcus Gazelle Over the years, the gazelles have been able to use the ability of shrinking oxygen demanding organs which means they can take less breaths so they don’t need as much water.

3 Omnivores

Roadrunner Omnivore The roadrunner is very fast and has a very good digestive system so they are able to catch prey and digest bones, scales, and spines.

Desert Rat Omnivore The desert rat has thin and short fur so it doesn’t get hot and has webbed feet so it can run up plants (ect.). Also, it has a water supply at the bottom of its stomach so it doesn’t need water often.

Coyote Omnivore The coyote has sharp teeth so it can rip meat. The coyote will eat anything and it gets it’s water from what it eats.

Decomposer A decomposer in the desert is a dung beetle the dung beetle eats dung/poop and digs down under the ground to fertilize the soil with the dung they eat.

Food Chains Plants (producer) - Rat - Snake (secondary) – Hawk (tertiary) Insects – Lizard (primary) – fox (secondary)

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