Desert Ecosystems

Desert Ecosystems — page 1

Desert Ecosystems — page 2 — 5 CHAPTER ONE The desert pygmy mouse lives in Africa’s Kalahari Desert Sand stretched out for miles in every direction All afternoon the sun baked the ground No plants or animals could be seen It did not seem as though any living thing could survive in this hot dry sandy environment Suddenly a tiny desert mouse appeared from beneath the sand It had been burrowing underground to keep cool A line of ants marching A HARSH PLACE TO LIVE

Desert Ecosystems — page 3 — Desert Diversity The Sonoran Desert is located in the southwestern United States It is hot and dry but it is still rich with life It is home to 100 reptile species 60 mammal species and 350 bird species About 2,000 kinds of plants grow there as well 6 toward a new food source had woken it up Usually the mouse ate seeds and other plant parts But now the ants made an excellent meal for it The mouse had to be alert It could also become dinner for other desert animals After sunset desert snakes emerge from their holes They slither across the sand or lie in wait to catch a passing mouse The snakes themselves can become food for larger animals such as hawks At first glance the desert may look like an impossible place to live But a surprising number of animals and plants live in the world’s deserts They depend on each other for survival in this harsh environment Dry Land The one feature all deserts have in common is that they receive very little

Desert Ecosystems — page 4 — D r y c r a c k e d m u d c a n b e f o u n d i n S o u t h A m e r i c a s Atacama Desert rainfall Most get fewer than ten inches 25 4 cm of rain per year Desert animals have special traits that let them survive in these dry regions of the world For example many can go long periods of time without drinking water Deserts are not hot all the time Daytime is always hot in deserts near the equator but nights can 7

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