Deserts and Extreme Environments

What this page covers

This page brings together resources on hot deserts, cold environments and other extreme places. The mind maps are the largest group. Two of them on desertification describe it as fertile land turning to desert, and look at causes such as drought, deforestation, overgrazing and human and climate factors. Others look at the Sahel, the Alps, Svalbard and Antarctica.

Where to start

Begin with the mind map called Deserts and Extreme Environments for an overview. Then choose one type of place.

1. Hot deserts: open the mind map Hot deserts topic AQA GCSE. It covers physical characteristics, adaptations, plants, animals and development.
2. Case studies: compare the Mojave Desert (Rich Region) map with the Case Study: Poor Desert - Thar Desert map.
3. Cold places: try the maps on the global distribution of cold environments and on fluvioglacial processes and landforms.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. The Hot deserts quiz and the Mojave Desert Case Study: Management Strategies quiz suit the desert maps. For cold places, the Geography - Cold Environments quiz asks about winter temperatures and katabatic winds. Note the questions you miss, go back to the matching map branch, and try again. Flashcard decks such as Nenets Tribe and Kalahari desert are handy for short bursts of recall.

Where it sits in the subject

This unit belongs to the strand Ecosystems, Environments and Resources within Geography. Some resources mention GCSE Geography and A-level Geography, so you will find material that fits both. Teachers can use the notes, slide sets and maps as ready-made starting points for lessons.

Next step

Choose one case study today, work through its map and quiz, and see which details stick. Then build your own flashcards for the facts you want to remember.