Desert Ecosystems

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

Desert Ecosystems — page 5 — Desert Water Some deserts have huge amounts of water However it is locked away from plants and animals as ice Glaciers and ice sheets cover the desert regions near the North and South Poles These areas receive very little snowfall Any moisture that reaches the surface quickly evaporates This makes these places deserts Most of their water is frozen and unavailable to plants and animals 8 be chilly Coastal deserts have warm summers and cool winters Some deserts have long cold winters Deserts can even be found in the frozen Arctic and Antarctic regions of the world Whether they are hot or cold deserts remain dry most of the year Like desert animals the plants that live in these regions require very little water These plants serve as food for a wide variety of desert animals

Desert Ecosystems — page 6 — 9 A Desert Food Web Every life form plays a part in the desert ecosystem No matter how big or small each living thing is connected to another living thing The sun provides energy for plants to grow The wide variety of plants provides energy for desert animals Some animals eat other animals Ants eat dead organisms This important cycle makes it possible for life to continue even in this dry barren environment

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