Transcript Deserts - milloyscience

By: Jonathan Ibias, Amy Lee,
Qahir Hirani and Theodora Lo
Where are deserts located?
Deserts are only located in some continents.
These continents are North America, South
America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Hot
deserts are usually between the Tropic of
Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Cold deserts are
usually located in the polar regions.
1.World's driest desert: The Atacama
2.World's oldest desert: The Namib
3.World's largest hot desert: The Sahara
4.World's largest sand dune area: The Empty
Quarter
5.World's largest polar desert: Antarctica
6.World's lowest spot: In the Negev Desert
7.World's highest temperature: In the eastern
Sahara
What makes the desert an extreme
environment?
Desert is an extreme environment because it is a
region that receives very little precipitation and its
vegetation cover is sparse to almost nonexistent.
There are different forms of deserts. Hot deserts
are hot and dry. Cold deserts are covered in snow
or ice, which makes plant life not available. Cold
deserts are too cold to live in like the arctic
deserts.
What technology is used to explore
the desert?
Some vehicles used in this environment would be cars and planes. Tools used
in this environment would be compasses and satellites. Also deserts are seen
as sources for solar energy. The Negev Desert has become the centre of
the Israeli solar industry and solar collectors are built in the Mojave Desert of
California. Modern technology, including advanced irrigation systems and air
conditioning have made deserts much more hospitable. In the United States
and Israel for example, desert farming has found extensive use. Large irrigation
projects transport water for many miles to produce large crops in places like the
interior desert valleys of California, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas in the United
States.
Canadian Contributions
Scientists with Environment Canada and the
province of B.C. have made effort to conserve
habitat in South Okanagan, B.C. for species
migrating between the dry grasslands of the B.C.
interior and the desert areas of the western United
States. They worked to conserve biodiversity and
restore species at risk in the region.
More Canadian Contributions
The Canadian Osoyoos Desert Society was
founded in 1991 to preserve the unique
desert of Osoyoos. The desert area protects
plant species at risk. It protects over 100
rare plants and over 300 rare invertebrates
in Canada.
Other Interesting Information
Deserts take up one- fifth of the world.
Hot deserts are hot in the daytime and cool in
the night. Bobcats come out at night. Desert
areas are being threatened by a rapid
population growth. Highest sand dune
recorded is in the Sahara Desert-1410
feet high.
Desert Picture by Amy Lee
Camel
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertclimate
http://library.thinkquest.org/6225/jordan1.htm
http://weathersavvy.com/desert1_OPT.jpg
http://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/africa/exhibit/sahara/tu
reg/6.htm
http://www.naham.org/images/Compass.jpg
http://www.phototravels.net/namibia/ndp2/namib-desert-air
p-50.2.jpg
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200809061
3934AA9rWSv
http://www.ec.gc.ca/science/sandenov00/article2_e.html