1. Desert Biome Ms. Graham 6 th Grade Science

2. Desert Temperature – Average of 38 degree C during the day – Average of -3.9 degree C during the night Precipitation – About 250 mm of rain per year

3. Desert Vegetation – Cacti, small bushes, short grasses Location – Between 15 degree and 35 degree latitude (North and South of the equator) Examples: » Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahua, and Great Basin (North America); Negev ( Middle East); and Gobi (Asia)

4. Desert The perennials survive for several years by becoming dormant and flourishing when water is available. Annuals are referred to as ephemerals because some can complete an entire life cycle in weeks.

5. Desert Desert biomes are the driest of all the biomes. The most important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little rainfall. Most deserts receive less than 300mm a year compared to rainforest, which receive over 2,000 mm per year. That means the desert only gets 10% of the rain that a rainforest gets.

6. Desert The reason for the drastic temperature change is due to the extreme dry air. The dry air is what allows the heat to escape at night. The location of the desert can greatly affect the temperature of that desert.

7. Desert Due to the extreme conditions of the desert, the plants must adapt to compensate for the lack of water. Some plants, such as cacti, store water in their stems and use it very slowly, while others like bushes conserve water by growing few leaves or by having large root systems to gather water. Some desert plant species have a short life cycle of a few weeks that lasts only during periods of rain.

8. Animal Life Big Horn Sheep Dingo Red Kangaroo Cottontail

9. Insects Desert Cricket Jewel Wasp Butterfly Antlion….Doodlebug Darkling Beetle Weevil

10. Reptiles Gilia Monster Namib Lizard Sidewinder Rattle Snake Thorny Devil Texas Horned Lizard

11. Plant Life Elephant Tree Saguaro Palm Tree Desert Willow Tree Desert Lily Desert Marigold Desert Sage Barrel Cactus Organ Pope Cactus