Desert Ecosystems

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Desert Ecosystems

• Chapter B1
• Lesson 3

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Desert an ecosystem found where there is very
little rainfall.

• Deserts are dry and hot. There are very few
  clouds.
• Two kinds of deserts
• Hot deserts
• Cold deserts
• Hot deserts
• Temperatures are very warm all year round
• The summers are very hot
• Cold deserts
• Short, warm summers
• Long, cold winters
• Found in places near the north and south poles

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Desert Plants

• Many plants are found in the desert. They usually
  grow close to the ground.
• These plants have special parts that help them
  save water.
• The special parts are thick stem, shallow and
  wide roots, and thick skin covered with spines
  instead of leaves.

4
Desert Animals

• There are many animals in the desert.
• They can survive by eating other animals or by
  eating plants that store water.
• To protect them from the hot sun, they stay in
  the shade or in their shelter.
• Animals may build their shelters inside plants.
• Some animals sleep during the day and are active
  at night.
• Some animals have hard shells to protect them
  from losing much water.
• More animals live in hot deserts than in cold
  deserts.

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Anteater
Camel
Roadrunner
Gila monster (lizard)
Scorpion
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Deserts in the United States

• Great Basin Desert
• Mojave Desert
• Chihuahua Desert
• Sonoran Desert

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Great Basin Desert
Idaho
California Nevada
Utah
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Mojave Desert
Utah
California Nevada Arizona
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Chihuahuan Desert
Arizona New Mexico Texas
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Sonoran Desert
California Arizona
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Review

• What is a desert?
• How do plants survive in the desert?
• How do animals survive in the desert?

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Learn more about deserts

• http//www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us/Classes/Science/Ne
  t_Lessons/Biomes/deserts.htmlanchor325870 Desert
  information
• http//idptv.state.id.us/dialogue4kids/season3/des
  ert/plants.html Desert information
• http//mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/desert/tplants.htm De
  sert plants
• http//www.brainpop.com/science/ecology/desert/ind
  ex.weml?tried_cookietrue Desert