Desert+Block+2A

Desert

﻿ Ecosystem: The Desert is a very dry and hot place. The Desert receives less than ten inches of water in a whole year! At night it gets bitterly cold. Clouds are also very scarce. Thats why there is no percipitation.

Land and Climate: The Desert recieves less than 10 inches of water in a whole year. The desert can't receive any precipitation because there are not any clouds. Temperatures are know to reach 190 F, 88 C. Alititude verys deeply. There is no humidity. Plants: - Saguaro Cactus: When it rains the catus soaks up water and holds it in it's ribs. It does not need alot of water. The Saguaro Cactus has a smooth and waxy skin and is covered eith two inch spines. It's expanding trunk allows it to take in and store a great deal of water.

- Jumping Cholla: The thick covering of spines shades the plant from the desert. They also prevent animals from eating them. The stems are separated into segments that store water and allow for photosynthesis. It eats Desert seeds and plants.

- Desert Ironwood: There canopy provides protection from frost and high heat all year round. In the dry season they will drop their leaves to conserve water. Urban developments are expanding into the ironwood forest. -Brittle Bush: It has hairs which form a blanket over the leaves and act as an insulating layer with stand the heat and cold. They also trap moisture in the air. Then reduce the amount of water lost to dry air. They trap moisture in the air and turn it into water. It is in the sunflower familes. Animals: - Armadillo Lizard: The head, bidy, and tail are all flat letting it wiggle into rock crevices for shelter. They have many ways to protect itself. They eat spiders and other invertebrates. Their tails and spines are used as defense along with rolling up to protect the under side of it. It has tubes in the nostrils which hepl it smell. -Sonron Pronghorn Antelope: The Pronghorn has a unique abitily to raise patches of it's stiff, hollow hair to release body heat in the boiling sun. In the winter the hairs insulate them aginist the cold. They can see something moving as far away as 4 miles. So that helps the alot. It has very sharp antlers, so it can protect itself. The animal eats plants.

- Thorny Devil: This lizard is a reptile that is harmless. When the lizard walks the lizards tail lifts and it walks in a shaky way. The Thorny Devil is found in Western Australia and North and South Queensland. It eats about 600 to 3,000 ants in one meal. With a rate of 45 ants a minute. They can camoflodge themselves to hide from their preditors. When they're scared they put their head between their front legs to fake the preditor to make them think they have 2 heads. It is a very small moving creature.

-Desert Tortoise: It's front legs are muscular, flattened with long claws for digging burrows to get out of the extreme heat. They also use these burrows or basins to catch in frequent rain fall for drinking water. The tortise have an extension on their front called a gular horn that they use for defenses against other tortoises. They can also make hissing and popping sounds, and can empty their bladder as a defense. They can eat catus, grass, herbs, and flowers in the spring when they are most active.

Humans and Deserts: The humanity protectas it from any harmful government of the United States protects the Desert.

Questions: -Is it always cold in the Desert? No,at night it gets bitterly cold - What degrees is it in the daytime? 190 F, 88 C - Does the Desert recieve less than 10 inches or more? The Desert recieves less than 10in This is a link to our Food Chain

- Credits Reny Parker 1998-2009 Las Pilatis Nursery 1998-2005 Philippe Faucon 1996-2011 DesertUSA BRANCH WILLIAM R.(1988g), 1996-2011 DesertUSA 2002 Missouri Botanical Garden

By: Makenzie Osborne and Aaron Cox