Deserts are characterized by little vegetation and rain, consisting of sand or rocks. They cover about one-fifth of the world's landmass and are typically found near the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Oases form within deserts, providing water and allowing for plants and even settlements due to trapped water beneath the desert floor. Desert climates experience great temperature extremes from over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day to below freezing at night due to lack of protection from heating and cooling. Rainfall is also sparse but heavy when it occurs, potentially causing flash floods. Desert plants and animals have adapted to survive long periods without water through mechanisms like deep roots or nocturnal activity near water sources.

1. Deserts are places on earth that are characterized by little vegetation and rain. They are made up of
sand or rocks and gravel. Deserts cover about one-fifth of all the land in the world. Most deserts lie
along the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, imaginary lines that lie north and south of the
equator.
Oases are parts of the desert where plants grow and water is almost always available. An oasis is
formed by a pool of water trapped between layers of rock beneath the desert floor. The regular water
in an oasis allows people to settle in the desert and even grow crops.
Deserts

2. Climate
The desert is the hottest biome on earth. However, the desert is also a land of extremes. It
can be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day but below 32 degrees at night. This
change is because deserts are bare. There is little protection to keep them from heating up
in the sun and cooling off when the sun disappears at night.
The amount of rainfall also varies. Though there is little rain in a desert, and when it does
rain, it pours. Violent rainstorms can cause flash floods in the desert. After a storm, the
desert may not see any rain for weeks or months.

3. Plants
There are some nights. Some plants have very long roots which grow in to the ground to
reach underground water sources. Plants that are able to survive in the desert. They may
have to go without fresh water for over a year! They also have to adjust to very hot days and
very cold Some suck up as much water as they can during the rain and save it in their stems
and leaves. Some store the food and water underground in thick root. Rain brings life to the
desert. Shortly after a big storm, billions of seeds come to life in the form of flowering plants.
These plants are called ephemerals. Eight weeks after a rain, the flowers are gone

4. Animals
There are hundreds of different animals that live in deserts. However, most
of them can only be found at dawn or dusk because that is when they move
around. For the rest of the day, animals bury themselves in the sand or hide
beneath rocks to keep cool. Animals that come out at night are called
nocturnal. Animals in the desert eat plants and each other to survive. Many
feed on the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds of plants. These animals are
then eaten by bigger animals. Some animals get enough water from their
food, but others must travel to water holes

5. Interesting Facts
•
The Gobi Desert in Asia is cold for
most of the year.
•
Mountains on the edge of deserts
prevent rain from entering.
•
The rain stays on the other side of the
mountain creating rain forests next to
many deserts.
•
These deserts are called rain shadows.
•
The world's deserts are growing
through desertification. This happens
when grasslands that border the desert
become as dry as the desert.
•
Desertification can also be caused by
intense farming.
•
Deserts are second only to tropical
rain forests in the variety of plants and
animals that live there.

6. Interesting Facts
•
The Gobi Desert in Asia is cold for
most of the year.
•
Mountains on the edge of deserts
prevent rain from entering.
•
The rain stays on the other side of the
mountain creating rain forests next to
many deserts.
•
These deserts are called rain shadows.
•
The world's deserts are growing
through desertification. This happens
when grasslands that border the desert
become as dry as the desert.
•
Desertification can also be caused by
intense farming.
•
Deserts are second only to tropical
rain forests in the variety of plants and
animals that live there.