1. DESERTS
• Region of land that is very dry
because of low rainfall amounts.
• Often has little coverage by plants
• Generally receive less than 250
millimetres (10 in) of rain each year.

2. DESERT
VEGETATION

3. XEROPHYTES
• Usually have special ways of
storing and conserving water.
• They often have few or no leaves,
which reduces water loss

4. PHREATOPHYTES
• Are plants that have adapted to
living in the desert by growing
very long roots.

5. PERENNIALS
• Survive by remaining dormant
during the dry periods and come
to life when water is available

6. ANNUAL
• Germinate after heavy rain and
complete their reproductive cycle
quickly.
•They bloom for a few weeks in spring.
•Their seeds remain dormant in the
soil until the next year’s rain

7. DESERT ANIMALS

8. • In times of drought, many desert
animals remain inactive for long period
• More than half of desert animals
live at least part of the time in
underground.
• The camel is the most useful
domestic desert animal

9. CHARACTERISTICS

10. HOT AND DRY DESERT
• The seasons are generally warm
throughout the year and very hot in
the summer.
• The winters usually bring little
rainfall.

11. SEMIARID DESERT
• Summer temperatures usually
average between 21-27° C.
• Evening temperatures are cool, at
around 10° C.
•The average rainfall ranges from
2-4 cm annually.

12. COASTAL DESERT
• The average summer temperature
ranges from 13-24° C; winter
temperatures are 5° C or below
•The average rainfall measures 8-13
cm in many areas.

13. COLD DESERT
• They have short, moist, and
moderately warm summers with
fairly long, cold winters.
• The mean winter temperature is
between -2 to 4° C
• The mean summer temperature is
between 21-26° C.

14. IMPORTANCE

15. • Most desert have a considerable
amount of specialized vegetation, as
well as specialized vertebrate and
invertebrate animals
• Two- thirds of the world’s crude
oil is found by drilling in desert
• Deserts are increasingly seen as
sources for solar energy, partly due to
lower cloud cover

16. SOLUTIONS TO PROTECT
THE DESERT

17. • Support the environment and the
wildlife !
• Study wildlife and educate others
• Be aware of changes in the
community that could damage desert
habitat and animals