Transcript The Desert Biome

The Desert Biome
C.H.A.M.P.S
Conversation – Level 0
Help – Raise hand
Activity – Lecture Notes
Movement –seated,unless given permission
Participation – teacher lead discussions
Success – annotating of notes.
OBJECTIVE
S.W.B.A.T – analyze the different types of
desert biomes to determine the many
aspects that make up our deserts
nationwide.
S.W.B.A.T. – use information gathered to
hold group discussions about the desert,
while using academic language.
Desert Characterization
A Desert is a region
on Earth which
receives less that
10in of annual rain
fall, and is generally
taken over by high
temperatures.
Deserts cover one
fifth of all of Earth’s
surfaces
What is a desert?
• Deserts are formed by mountains blocking the path of precipitation
• Deserts can be hot or cold but they are always dry.
• They receive less than 25 cm of precipitation annually.
• They cover 22 million km2 or 1/5 of the earth’s surface.
• There are four major types of deserts:
Temperature
Annual temperature
ranges from 20-25º.
Many deserts receive
little rainfall.
The heaviest rainfall
occurs most
frequently in April or
May.
Average Temperatures
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Hot Desert
Semiarid Desert
Costal Desert
Average
Day Temp.
(Celcius)
Average
Night
Temp.
(Celcius)
Formation of a Desert
Many deserts have been formed by the
flow of air masses over the planet.
As the earth turns on it’s axis, it makes
huge air swirls causing the hot air to rise
over the equator and flow north and
southward.
This in turn sucks up moisture while
warming the land which causes it to
become dry.
Desert Soil
Caliche is a reddishbrown to white layer of
soil found in many desert
solids.
This type of soil is formed
by plants releasing water
and carbon dioxide from
their.
Soils that form in arid
climites mineral soils and
have low organic
contents.
Water Channels
In the desert, underground
channels carry water from
mountains that are most of the
time near by into the desert.
If the channels were not
covered by the soil it the water
would evaporate.
Moisture in the desert can
come from sources such as
rain, sweat, dew, pools, lakes,
sap, and breath, these
evaporate quickly in the hot air.
Winds
A desert wind can
vary from a warm
breeze to a sand
storm.
Wind sometimes even
sandblasts rocks
which will then build
sand dunes which
can become 200
meters high
Animals
Animals in the desert must survive in a hostile
environment. Intense heat, searing sun, and lack
of water are just a few of the challenges facing
desert animals.
Animals that live in the desert have many
adaptations.
Some animals adapt by spending most of the
day underground and out of the hot sun.
Some animals rarely spend any time above
ground.
Plant an Animal Species
Only second to the
Rainforest, the Desert
has the most variety
of plant and animal
species.
Though many desert
plants look different
than plants in other
Biomes.
Addax
The color of the addax
varies widely between
individuals, but there is
always a mat of darkbrown hair on the
forehead, and both sexes
have thin, spiral horns.
The addax has adapted
to walking on soft sand,
and they never drink,
obtaining all the moisture
they need from their food,
which includes
succulents.
Cactus Wren
. Cactus wrens are
found in areas with
thorny shrubs, cacti
and trees and forage
mostly on the ground
around vegetation for
insects, such as
beetles, ants, wasps
and grasshoppers,
and occasionally
lizards or small frogs.
Desert Night Lizard
The desert night lizard
varies in coloration over
its range but is marked
with many small dark
spots.
Night lizards give birth to
live young.
It frequents yucca plants
and agaves and feeds on
termites, ants, beetles
and flies, which it finds
among vegetation or
rocks.
Blind Western Snake
It lives almost anywhere where
there is sandy or gravelly soil
suitable for burrowing and
spends much of its life below
ground, occasionally emerging
at dusk on warm evenings or
on overcast days.
It feeds on ants and termites,
which it locates by smell, and
with its slender body, it can
enter right into their nests.
Thorny Devil
Its body is covered with bristles
with large, conical spines, and
it has spines above each eye
and a spiny hump behind its
head.
It is a slow-moving creature,
which forages for its food,
mainly ants and termites, on
the ground.
Vulture
Its powerful hooked bill cuts
easily into carrion, and its bare
head and neck save lengthy
feather-cleaning after plunging
deep into a messy carcass.
The immense broad wings,
with widely spaced primary
feathers, are ideal for soaring
and gliding for long periods.
Saguaro
Cactus
The green stem of the
Saguaro Cactus stores all of its
water.
Photosynthesis occurs in the
top layer of the stem instead of
in leaves. Under ground this
cactus has another adaptation
that is hidden from us, its
roots.
Theses roots extend far away
from its trunk. The roots collect
water after rain and is then
Stored in the stem,the water
keeps the saguaro alive until
the next rainfall.
Fish Hook Cactus
The fish hook shaped
spines of the Fish
Hook Cactus help
divert heat and shade
the growing tip of the
plant.
Many barrels lean
further toward the sun
as they grow. Some
may eventually uproot
themselves.
Barrel Cactus
The pleated shape of
the Barrel Cactus
allows it to expand
when it rains and
store water in its
spongy tissue.
It shrinks in size
during dry times as it
uses the stored water.
C.H.A.M.P.S
Conversation – Level 2
Help – Group/elbow partner
Activity – Observing Puddle
Movement – Outside, walking
Participation – Sharing Predictions
Success – Active Participation