Mission to the Sonoran Desert Time to pack my sun hat and binoculars I just found out I am going to the Sonoran Desert for my next research trip A desert is an area of land that is very dry It gets less than 10 inches 250 millimeters of rain or snow each year The Humans for Habitats group is sending me and other wildlife biologists to this desert in North America My mission is to study how habitat loss is affecting the land plants and animals I will look for signs of pollution species that do not belong there and other threats I also hope to meet with people who are working to save the Sonoran The Sonoran Desert covers large parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico It is about 100,000 square miles 260,000 square kilometers in size 4
I studied desert biomes so I could plan my trip Deserts can be hot or cold The Sonoran Desert is very hot Summer temperatures can soar to 118 degrees Fahrenheit 48 degrees Celsius Most deserts have only one short season in which heavy rains fall The Sonoran Desert is different because it has two rainy seasons There are thunderstorms and heavy rains in the hot summer months Lighter rains fall in the cool winter months Higher rainfall means that the Sonoran has more types of plants and animals than any desert in North America I was hoping to see them all I will be hot on the trail of lizards called Gila monsters and other animals in the Sonoran Desert 5
Field Journal Day 1 Phoenix Arizona My research team met in Phoenix Arizona Phoenix marks the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert and is the largest city in this ecosystem We set up camp and changed into cool light-colored clothing Then we loaded up drinking water and set out in trucks to explore the area I was glad I had decided to come here in spring Plants will be in bloom now and animals will be on the move Some desert animals are not active during the winter and many animals stay inside their homes in summer to beat the heat Even now some animals will be hiding from the hot desert sun It will take patience and a little luck to spot them I looked out the airplane window as we got close to Phoenix I was surprised to see how far the city spread into the desert 6
Coyote Chuckwalla The first thing I noticed was how huge the city was It spread into the desert for miles Many plants and animals are losing their natural habitats as Phoenix continues to grow I was pleased to visit a large preserve in the city however A preserve is an area of land where wildlife is protected I was lucky enough to spot a coyote and a chuckwalla there These animals have coloring and markings that help them blend in with their desert surroundings That makes it harder for predators to find them Phoenix is a huge sprawling city It stretches about 518 square miles 1,340 square kilometers into the Sonoran Desert It is the sixth-largest city in America and growing fast We will travel by truck and stay on the roads and trails Going off the road could harm plants animals and their natural habitats 7
