Transcript File

A Closer look at the desert biome!
You can’t see me!
I am wearing
camelflage!
…but 70% of the world’s deserts are ROCKY
So where are all the world’s main DESERTS ?
It’s not that it’s
always HOT……
It’s just
really DRY
for much of
the year.
Why do deserts form ? (1)
1
2
3
1 Winds blow off the sea carrying lots of moisture
2 Moist winds rise over mountains, cool, form clouds
and drop their rain.
3 Air drops down the other side of the mountains
and have now lost all their rain – so are dry winds.
Why do deserts form ? (2)
DESERT
JUNGLE
At the Equator (A) hot air rises and
lifts lots of moisture into the air –
where it makes clouds and rains.
At (D) the air falls back to earth –
but it’s now DRY air, and as it falls
it WARMS UP – so no clouds form
EQUATOR
D
A
Why is it so hot in deserts during the day ?
The sun is nearly overhead – so it’s
strong, and no clouds to give shade
Why is it so cold in deserts during the night ?
There are no clouds to keep the heat in at night – so all the
heat from the day escapes out into space very quickly
Small, narrow
leaves that don’t
lose much moisture
Leaves are tough
and leathery to
hold in moisture
Any plants that
grow must be able
to survive long
periods without
any water.
How does this
palm tree manage
to survive?
Very long roots
which reach deep
down to any water
New leaves grow at
the top so can’t be
eaten by animals
How are these plants
adapted to survive in
deserts ?
…so where it
rains a little – a
few plants can
survive……
…but where it
hardly ever rains
– very little can
grow.
How have these animals adapted to
survive in deserts ?
Camel
Sidewinder Snake
Gerbil
……taking the camels for a walk…..
The
Tuareg
tribe of
the
Sahara
desert
Why you might be in a desert………..drilling for oil !
Phosphate
Mining
Oasis - searching for
desert water
Tourism in the Desert