Hot Desert Biome

Hot Desert Biome

1. Climate

   • very dry
   • 0mm - 250mm
   • Day: 45 Night:<0
   • anti-cyclones
   • convectional rainfall
   • flash floods
   • erodes deep gullies
   • evaporates before reaching ground
   • night dews
   • diurinal climate

2. Soil

   • aridsol soils
   • do not favour plant growth
     • rocky
   • lack of chemical weathering
     • rainfall
   • no horizons or OM
   • Salanation
     • poisonous to plants
   • calcification near surface
     • hard pan
   • rusty
     • sun burned

3. Vegetation

   • have to adapt
   • mesquite plant
     • taproots - 50m
   • Cacti
     • thin spines
       • transpires less
     • waxy seeds
       • hibernate
   • Paper Daisy
     • ephemeral
   • saguaro
     • grooves in stem
       • allows it to expand
     • thorns
       • still air
         • prevents wilting

4. Sahel