Tropical Desert

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Tropical Desert

• Julia S. and Andrew L.

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Background Information

• The tropical desert is the hottest and driest
  place on earth
• The dry conditions is due to subtropical high
  pressure
• They are found in Baja California and interior
  Mexico in North America. 

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Average Annual Temperature

• Average Annual Temperature 22.8 C
• The tropical desert has the highest mean
  temperature of any climate
• The high temperatures are a result of the high
  sun angles highest percentage of sunshine
• The sky remains cloud free

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Average Annual Precipitation

• Average Annual Precipitation 81 cm
• Precipitation in the desert is irregular
• Low humidity causes evaporation of the little
  surface water
• An entire year's worth of rain may fall in one
  downpour.
• Temperature Range 21.2C
• Daytime temperatures can reach 50C

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Limiting Factors

• The most important is year-round presence of
  subtropical high pressure
• Continentality linked often with rain shadow
  location.
• cT air masses

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Fauna Information

• Coyotes, Coopers Hawk, Screech Owl, Scorpions,
  Ring-tailed Cats, Antelope, Skunks, Mule
• Adaptations of Funa include ways of avoiding
  heat, dissipating heat, retaining and acquiring
  water.
• Desert animals are well adapted to the
  environment as they all have ways of dealing with
  low amounts of water and extreme heat

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Fauna
Coopers Hawk
Coyote
Ring tailed cat
Screech owl
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Flora Information

• Saguaro cactus, Joshua Trees, Creosote Bush.
• Xerophytes are plants that are well adapted to
  retaining water by having little or no leaves to
  transpire water.
• Phreatophytes are plants that develop long roots
  to retain as much water as possible.

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Biodiversity

• A tropical desert has a high diversity because
  there is a large diversity of different kinds of
  animals.

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Works Cited

• Ritter, Michael E. (2003). Tropical Desert
  Climate. Retrieved October 20, 2008, from TPE Web
  site http//www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog1
  01/textbook/about_the_physical_environment.html
• (1999). World Desert Map. Retrieved October 20,
  2008, from Compare Info base Limited. Web site
  http//www.mapsofworld.com/world-desert-map.htm

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Works Cited

• Jay Sharp. Desert Palnts Wild flowers. From
  DesertUSA. Web sitewww.Desertusa.com
• Sharryl Lattion and Melissa Femrite,desert.(1997)
  Thurston High School web site http//ths.sps.lane
  .edu/biomes/desert4/desert4.html