Desert Climates Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is the temperature like in the desert?
High sunshine values due to predominantly high pressure
What is the wind like in the desert?
Strong winds and sandstorms are common especially where there are significant variations in pressure.
What is the thunderstorms like in the desert?
They are triggered by intense convective activity.
As a percentage, how much of the Earth’s surface has desert soils?
17%
What are soils in deserts commonly like?
Infertile with a thin soil profile.
What do soils tend to be?
Alkaline and saline
What is the soil development rate like?
Extremely slow due to lack of moisture
What are the 2 types of arid soils?
Raw mineral
Semi-arid
What are raw mineral soils like?
Coarse texture and often rocky due to weathering
What are semi-arid soils like?
Tend to have a higher organic content making them darker
What are 3 things about desert adaptation?
Unreliable Rainfall
Hot temperatures
High rates of evaporation
What are xerophytes?
Plants adapted to dry conditions
Name 3 xerophyte adaptations?
Sparsely distributed
Long tap roots
Waxy leaves to reduce transpiration
What does being succulent mean?
Can store a lot of water
What is protection from thirsty animals?
Being toxic and inaccessible
How can climate affect soil?
Infrequent rain and high evapotranspiration which means soil is dry and evaporation draws salt to surface which can’t be evaporated - salt flats
How can climate affect vegetation?
The lack of precipitation means that vegetation cover is sparse and only species adapted can grow
How can soil affect climate?
Soil erosion can lead to dust clouds which can prevent water droplets forming in clouds and reduces precipitation
Where are deserts usually located?
15-30 North and South of the Equator
