The summer in the months from early to mid-June to September is when the desert heat peaks. False! Around 60 mammals, 100 reptiles, 30 fish, 20 amphibians, and over 350 bird species are in the Sonoran desert. Fill in the blanks. Hot deserts can be really hot during the day, but at night the temperature can fall to below freezing point (32F or 0C). And the Sierra Nevada mountains block rain and moisture from the Pacific from reaching the basin. Seven years of satellite temperature data show that the Lut Desert in Iran is the hottest spot on Earth. km). The Mojave Desert can be found in the southwestern United States covering portions of southern Nevada and southeastern California. How has the growth of Lagos caused inequality? Here you can find the list of deserts of the world, their type and their location. Hot temperatures are not required for deserts, as Antarctica is also considered a desert since rain and snow are rare. Coastal Deserts - These deserts are dry like any other desert but not hot. What is the location and importance of Mumbai? Where are the areas of water deficit and surplus in the UK? The worlds hot deserts are located between 15 and 30 north or south of the equator, where the air is subsiding or sinking air(find out why deserts are found along the tropics here). The Kalahari is a subtropical desert located in southern Africa. The temperature in day time in a desert is very high. The Sahara is the largest subtropical desert in the world, clocking in at 3.5 million square miles (9 million sq. What is the role of transnational companies in Nigeria? It measures roughly 0.26 million square miles (0.67 million sq. Antarctica is the coldest and largest desert in the world. That's, on average, only about 20mm of rain a month, though some months of the year may experience more rain than others. Castleton A tourist honey pot in The Peak District, Case Study Inner City Redevelopment Londons Docklands. The Mojave desert is one of the hottest deserts in the world and one of the warmest in North America. Ecological Pyramids- of Numer, Biomass, and Energy, Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism: Max Weber, Pre Independence News Papers and Magazines. How has urbanisation helped Nigeria to develop? To be classified under this category, these areas need to have less than 250mm or 25cm of rainfall per year. Have some feedback for us? Human and physical factors causing river flooding. The hot and dry temperatures make it hard to be in, which limits infrastructure development, agriculture and other jobs as it could lead to illness working in such conditions. Coastal deserts also exist, where a desert can be directly near a body of water such as an ocean. When the air rises to move over the mountain range, it cools, and the moisture in the air is lost as rain. What are the differences in global calorie intake and food supply? gtag('js', new Date());
The Arabian Desert has its highest temperatures around August. Around 900 plant species can be found in the Arabian desert, 102 mammals, and 310 different bird species. Since deserts are associated with difficult living conditions, they are often some of the world's most sparsely populated regions. How have animals adapted to the rainforest environment? The Sahara Desert is the single largest hot desert in the world. Explain the role of Ocean Currents and give suitable examples. Thank you for reading! Temperatures are slightly cooler in the winter. The Sahara desert is the world's largest hot desert. It creates less pressure and demand on land and resources. Hot deserts include examples like the Sahara in Africa and the desert land that occupies Arizona in the United States. Development, population change and the demographic transition model, Strategies for reducing the development gap, How can the growth of tourism reduce the development gap? Location; Antarctica: Polar Ice and Tundra: 14,000,000: 5,405,000: Antarctica: Arabian Desert: Subtropical: 2,330,000: . Rainwater is directed to the tree's base by funnel-like leaves, where it is absorbed by shallow roots. They include the biggest Sahara Desert (3.5 million square miles), Great Australian Desert, Arabian Desert, Iranian Desert, Thar Desert, Kalahari and Namib Deserts. How has hot desert vegetation adapted to the climate? This combination lets summer temperatures reach well into the triple digits. The Sahara is the largest of the world's hot deserts it covers 3,600,000 square miles (9,200,000 square kilometers) of Northern Africa! Suppose a high mountain range is preventing rain clouds from reaching a dry area. An environment with an extremely hot and dry climate, where evaporation occurs more than precipitation. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. Animals species found in the desert are jackrabbits, kangaroo rats, grasshoppers, pocket mice, and antelope ground squirrel. True or False: The Sahara Desert is located in North Africa. Covering around 77,000 square miles of space, it is the largest desert in its region. The lack of vegetation. Like other types of desert, cold deserts get very little rain or snow. Measuring 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million sq. Special appendages, such as long ears, help to dissipate heat. Reptiles and insects are ectothermic, or cold-blooded, meaning they cannot regulate their own body heat and are dependent upon sunlight to warm them up. What is the impact of humans on the desert? 3 - The saguaro is probably the most iconic cactus species in the world. Desert soils are very dry and may enable flash floods. If you associate cacti with hot deserts, you might be surprised to learn that the overwhelming majority of cactus species are native to the Americas. Deforestation leads to soil becoming more vulnerable to soil erosion, which leads to desertification. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: The Lut Desert in Iran is the hottest desert in the world. Hundreds of different types of animal species call the desert their home and are adapted for the heat. Other desert plants are geophytes that spend their lives as bulbs, hiding beneath the soil. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. What vegetation grows in a hot desert climate? It is considered a desert because it rains on average only 10 mm every year. Because of its heat, no one can survive in the heart of this desert. The land after desertification cannot support crop growth or livestock, therefore leading to food insecurity. Hot Deserts Hot Deserts Hot Deserts Challenges in the Human Environment London Urbanisation Olympic Park Case Study Rio de Janeiro Case Study UK Population Distribution Urban Issues and Challenges Changing Economic World Closing the Development Gap Deindustrialisation Demographic Transition Model Development of India Economic Change in the UK During the summer, temperatures rise up to forty degrees Celsius. It is said that at 4,950 years old, a local Bristlecone Pine is the worlds oldest living thing. How is urban planning improving the quality of life for the urban poor in Mumbai? Follow. Here you will find 7 of the hottest deserts on earth and how absurdly warm these places can get. How does flooding affect humans and the environment? Caravan in Sahara Desert. Deserts are usually considered to be hot, arid areas with vast stretches of sand and dry earth. These deserts have temperatures that are exceptionally low in comparison to other types. Deserts are defined as regions with very low rainfall, usually less than 25 centimeters of rain per year. Even animals such as lizards who normally thrive in these types of hot environments are struggling with desertification. Rainfall in the desert is very low. If you've found the resources on this site useful please consider making a secure donation via PayPal to support the development of the site. True or False: The Colorado Desert is technically classified as a cold desert because it snows so often. What challenges are associated with the growth of Rio? answer choices High pressure Low pressure Question 12 30 seconds Q. Hot deserts can be beautiful, but brutal. It is most known for its scorching hot climate and mountainous sand dunes that reach as high as 183 meters. NASA has taken readings from these desserts showing the surface temperature gets as hot as 159.3F regularly, and it is at its hottest in the summer months. The deserts around the world have a variety of plants and animals. As we just mentioned, deserts in general feature very little biodiversity due to the lack of rainfall. Which of the following statements about the Salton Sea is MOST accurate? How does tourism contribute to the development of hot deserts? They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. How would being nocturnal help a mammal survive in the Colorado Desert? gtag('config', 'G-9M3J3VF9BF');
. The Antarctic is classified as a polar desert. One 2011 study found that between 2003 and 2009, it out-scorched all the other hot deserts five out of the seven years in 2005, the temperature there peaked at 159.3 degrees Fahrenheit (70.7 degrees Celsius) when measured by NASA satellite. People enjoy rock climbing, dirt biking, and hiking in the desert. Despite the challenging conditions, hot desert biomes are home to a variety of unique and adapted plant and animal species. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Thar is the 20th largest desert in the world covering an area of 0.2 million square kilometers. Fig. False! Notable hot desert species include dromedary camels, saguaro cacti, desert tortoises, and scarab beetles. Upload unlimited documents and save them online. Distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes, Effects of earthquakes and volcanoes on people and the environment, Reducing the impacts of earthquakes and volcanoes, Population and settlement iGCSE Geography, The main causes of a change in population size, A country with a rate of high population growth China, A country which is over-populated Bangladesh, A country which is under-populated Australia, A country with a low rate of population growth or decline Japan. In other words, deserts boast very little biodiversity relative to other biomes. Well-known hot and dry deserts include the Mojave and the Sahara. Desert ecosystems are inhospitable places to most organisms they're always dry and often hot, at least some of the time. Like all traditional semiarid deserts, the Gobi experiences extremely high temperatures during the summer and frigid temperatures during the winter. 1. The hottest temperature ever recorded was a scorching 134.1 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7 degrees Celsius) on July 10, 1913 at Furnace Creek Ranch located in Death Valley, California. How reliable are economic indicators of development? However, no hot desert is drier than the Atacama, which averages only about half an inch (1.5 centimeters) of rain per year, and some years are entirely rainless. The temperature, for the most part, generally changes simply over the span of a multi-day, moving from a great degree hot . If we add the 12 pseudo-desert to the list, than we can say that there are a total of 37 deserts and pseudo-deserts on Earth. What problems are caused by global warming? Most of the world's deserts are located near 30 degrees north latitude and 30 degrees south latitude, where the heated equatorial air begins to descend. The Mojave desert is one of the hottest deserts in the world and one of the warmest in North America. Due to the limited rainfall, deserts often have very dry soil or sand that is easily moved . Location: North Africa. Hot deserts can be found around the globe, and many of them stretch for thousands of miles. Deserts are found in all continents of the world but the nature and size of these deserts vary greatly. Other plants in hot deserts include hardy desert scrub, shrubbery, trees, and flowering plants. Vast amounts of sandy hills. Latitude is not the only factor that determines climate. Cacti have developed a particularly efficient method to conserve water. km). The sun's rays are the strongest there. Temperatures of this desert remain high around the year, as lots of the desert is at low elevation. The significance of food, water and energy, An overview of global inequalities in the supply and consumption of resources, Carbon footprints, food miles and moves towards local sourcing of food. These locales are portrayed by, for the most part, warm to extremely hot temperatures with cooler winters. Can the risks of volcanic eruptions be reduced? Its large ears help it to keep cool. Developed by Srishti IAS | All rights reserved. km). Fill in the blank. What Is a Desert? Mars have shown eolian features. The Sonoran desert is 86,100 square miles large and one of North Americas most diverse deserts. Most hot deserts are found around the equator between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. How to reach this desert: Under such conditions, every bit of moisture is evaporated and the deserts are thus regions of permanent drought. The expansion of fertile land that becomes desert. What are the impacts of industry on the physical environment? Subtropical Desert of the World. The Sahara is the largest hot desert on Earth. If you associate the phrase 'hot desert' with rolling sand dunes and roaming herds of camels, you're probably imagining the Sahara. The Lut Desert was hottest during 5 of the 7 years, and had the highest temperature overall: 70.7C (159.3F) in 2005. It has gravel plains and elevated plateaus with a bare rocky surface. Few plant life can be found in the Thar desert, most of which are scrub or herbaceous plants that can survive in high heat conditions and have little water. True or False: One of the major ways that cacti conserve water is via CAM photosynthesis. Fig. Desertification can lead to increased resource prices. Deserts are one of the many habitats on earth. In fact, the most important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little rainfall. True or false? The site is self-funded and your support is really appreciated. This interesting species of desert plant life is one that needs to be approached with caution, even if its innocuous facade seems appealing. Then, in the day they are able to complete the calvin cycle in the sunlight without having to open their stomata and lose large amounts of water. 3. All cacti are succulents, a group of plants that are characterized by their thick leaves and stems. What wildlife is able to thrive in such an environment is currently under threat from drought, over-grazing, and hunting. What two renewable energies are being generated in the Thar Desert? It is the seventh largest desert in the world, clocking in at 0.25 million square miles (0.65 million sq. Some of the most common adaptations include storing water in the leaves or stems, having few leaves or waxy coverings on the leaves to reduce water loss, and having long tap roots that can penetrate the deep water table. You probably want more than one dessert, but not more than one desert! The Arctic tundra is the only other polar desert in the world. The Great Australian Desert is one of the major reasons that around 85% of Australians live along the continent's coastlines. Cool coastal deserts - the average temperature in these deserts is much cooler because of. The major hot deserts of the world are located on the western coasts of continents between latitudes 15 and 30N. Located directly north of the Mojave Desert, it is a dry expanse of clay, silt, and sand; however, as a semiarid desert, it receives a fair amount of snow during the winter months. What is migration and why do people migrate? The other hot deserts are the Arabian Desert, Iranian Desert, Thar Desert, Kalahari, and Namib Deserts. Hot and Cold Deserts The largest hot desert in the world is the Sahara, which is 9 million square kilometers (3.5 million square miles). Main Body- Explain: Why major hot deserts are located between 20-30 degrees latitudes and the western side of the continents? Drying Deserts with Air. For instance, in cold deserts, winters are cold, with snowfall, and high total rainfall, both in the winter and infrequently in the summer. Important desert in tabular form. Spanning eleven countries, it covers nearly an entire third of Africa. Food insecurity, water insecurity, the rising prices of resources, economic decline, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. Wild animals such as meerkat, hyena, kudu, and wildebeest call this region home. The desert is dry, with temperatures that reach up to 133 F (56.1C). Probably the first one that springs to mind, the Sahara Desert is the world's hottest. It is also considered a desert due to the lack of precipitation; the frigid air is too cold to hold moisture. StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. While it gets more rain than the Antarctic, it still only receives approximately six to ten inches a year. A study conducted in 2018 shows that it has grown by ten percent since 1920. The Colorado Desert is actually just a small portion of which larger desert? Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. Best study tips and tricks for your exams. h) Montane deserts. A case study of a sparsely populated area Himalayan Mountains, A case study of a densely populated area Greater London. It is important to note that not all hot deserts are found around the equator. You will hardly any kind of vegetation there. Now it's anything but, yet in thousands of years' time, it may return to its original state, as its climate is affected by the Earth's constantly changing orbital rotation around its axis (a cycle that repeats every 23,000 years). These extreme temperature fluctuations can be challenging for both plants and animals, which must adapt to survive in such harsh conditions. Deserts are landscapes that receive little precipitation and, often, are barren. Though they still photosynthesize during the day, most cacti save their respiratory processes for nighttime, allowing them to use less water than they would normally have to. As the air continues to move away from the equator most of its moisture has already been dropped, and there is virtually nothing left by the time it reaches the . It covers an area 5.5 million square miles and has average temperatures of -128 degrees Fahrenheit. View the job description, responsibilities and qualifications for this position. This desert is often called the desert of death, but tourists love to visit the area because of the scenery and historical connections with the silk road. Most, but not all, hot deserts are found near the equator. Semi Arid, Hot and Dry, Cold, and Coastal deserts are the four basic types of deserts that can be found. As a subtropical desert, it is a barren landscape of rock and gravel. But hot deserts have less water and greater heat, making them particularly challenging for plants and animals. This process is called crassulacean acid metabolism, or CAM photosynthesis. Water quality and pollution management in the UK. Name the four main development opportunities in a desert. One of the most striking features of hot desert biomes is their extreme temperature fluctuations. 6. If you've read our Tropical Rainforest explanation, you might be a bit confused how can lush, green jungles be around the same latitude as dry, sandy deserts? What are the effects of deforestation in the Amazon? Pictured above is the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in the USA. and S (Question asked in Previous Mains Exam). Due to intense heat, rain is known to evaporate in hot and dry deserts before it can even reach the ground. There are four major types of the desert in this biome - hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. There is scarcely any cloud in the continuous blue sky. These regions are characterized by having a great deal of sunlight, minimal rain and high levels of evaporation. In the case of hot deserts, factors like physical geography and winds play a role, too. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. The biggest is the Sahara desert, which is about the same size as Europe. The Sahara Desert. Areas on the fringe of hot deserts are at risk of desertification. The Gobi is also known for its extreme temperatures from as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) in the summer and extremely low temperatures in the winter. A desert can be defined as a barren area of land where very little rainfall occurs. Hot deserts are situated around the equator, so their temperatures can be very high during the hottest months average temps might hover between 84 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (29 and 35 degrees Celsius) with midday spikes often exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). This desert plant has narrow purple flowers with lavender rays surrounding a yellow disk-like center, which grows up to 2 inches in diameter. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Phosphate, oil and natural gas, iron ore and uranium. The Sahara is the largest subtropical desert in the world, clocking in at 3.5 million square miles (9 million sq. The following list identifies some of the largest deserts of the world. Since it is important to retain as much water as possible, many animals must prevent water loss that occurs during excretion of urine and feces and even evaporation that happens while breathing. The Sahara is the best example to illustrate the above. What are the social and economic opportunities associated with the growth of Rio? Water is rare in the desert, so passing through it is extremely deadly. Weather conditions can be closely tied with health-related pains and outdoor activities. Next: Why are deserts located along the tropics? 5 Critters to Beware Of While You're Camping in the Desert, Death Valley Fills With Wildflowers Every 10 Years It's Happening Right Now, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security, 159.3 degrees Fahrenheit (70.7 degrees Celsius). True or False: The majority of hot deserts are found south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Hot deserts include examples like the Sahara in Africa and the desert land that occupies Arizona in the United States. High amounts of minerals are available in deserts. Being active at night allows a mammal to avoid the extreme heat of the day! True or false? California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada are the states where this desert is located. distribution of hot and temperate deserts According to some definitions, any environment that is almost completely free of plants is considered desert, including regions too cold to support vegetationi.e., "frigid deserts." Other definitions use the term to apply only to hot and temperate deserts, a restriction followed in this account. What factors affect population density and distribution? The major hot deserts of the world are located on the western coasts of continents between latitudes 15 and 30N and S. The biggest desert, Sahara Desert (3.5 million square miles) is also one of the hot deserts. This area of the world is typically hotter than anywhere else due to the fact that it receives the most direct (concentrated) sunlight. The dromedary camel (which has one hump) is endemic to the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Desert. Chihuahuan Desert. The coldest deserts of all remain freezing year-round and are inhabitable by . There are cold deserts. They are all able to inhibit plant and animal life that are able to survive there. Most of the world's hot deserts lie just north and south of the equator, the imaginary line that runs around the middle of Earth. Weathering and mass movement in river valleys. A hot desert biome is a terrestrial ecosystem characterized by extremely low precipitation, high temperatures, and sparse vegetation. Dromedaries can also go up to 15 days without drinking water. Hot desert vegetation includes cacti and other succulents, hardy shrubbery, trees, and flowering plants. The largest hot desert in the world, northern Africa's Sahara, reaches temperatures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) during the day. False! Cold deserts are found in the Antarctic, Greenland, Iran, Turkestan, Northern and Western China. While this is certainly the case for some regions, all do not fit this description. Lizard After Emerging from Burrow The Great Basin spadefoot toad has adapted to deal with limited water and heat by burrowing into the ground and staying there until it rains. here are five of the hottest spots on the planet: The Lut Desert, or Dasht-e Lut, a 20,000-square-mile (51,800-square-kilometer) area of eastern Iran is often the hottest place on the planet in any given year. Despite its name, it covers more of Jordan than Syria. (NASA maps by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using MODIS data from Mildrexler et al., 2011. It is located in Southern Africa, covering most of Botswana, as well parts of Namibia, and South Africa. Temperatures are usually high in the North American desert, but it is at its most hot in July. The hot deserts lie along the Horse Latitudes or the Sub-Tropical High-Pressure Belts where the air is descending, a condition least favorable for precipitation of any kind to take place. Coastal Environments CPD Erosional Landforms, Coastal Management and Fieldwork on the Holderness Coast, Coastal Environments CPD Erosional Erosion, Coastal Management, Deposition and Fieldwork on the Holderness Coast, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Internet Geography Plus Terms and Conditions, find out why deserts are found along the tropics here. What is the location and importance of Rio de Janeiro? It spans multiple states, covering most of Nevada and Utah. Read about our five favourite deserts across the world. Sahara Desert. This climate is found in: ADVERTISEMENTS: (1) Africa - the Namib and Kalahari deserts of coastal Angola and southwest Africa, interior Botswana and South Africa, and Sahara desert; Kalahari Desert - a desert covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa; Karoo Desert - a desert covering parts of southern South . Prevailing winds may divert rainstorms away from an area, or mountains may block rainstorms. The world's hot deserts are located between 15 and 30 north or south of the equator, where the air is subsiding or sinking air ( find out why deserts are found along the tropics here ). They are mainly found around 30 to 50 degrees latitude, called the mid-latitudes.