Hot Deserts

Question 1

What are the 2 case studies for Hot desserts?

Answer 1

• Western Desert - USA
• Senegal, Sahel region of Africa

Question 2

What is a hot desert?

Answer 2

A part of the world which has high average temperatures and very low precipitation.

Question 3

What is mineral extraction?

Answer 3

The removal of solid mineral resources from the earth. These resources include ores, fuels such as coal or oil and precious stones.

Question 4

What is desertification?

Answer 4

The process by which land becomes drier and degraded, as a result of climate change or human activities or both.

Question 5

What is biodiversity?

Answer 5

The variety of life in the world or a particular habitat.

Question 6

What is overgrazing?

Answer 6

Grazing too many livestock for too long on the land, so it is unable to recover its vegetation.

Question 7

What is over-cultivation?

Answer 7

Exhausting the soil by over-cropping the land.

Question 8

What is appropriate technology?

Answer 8

Technology suited to the needs of the local people that combines cheap materials and is environmentally friendly.

Question 9

What is soil erosion?

Answer 9

Removal of topsoil faster than it can be replaced, due to natural (water and wind action),, animal, and human activity. Topsoil is the top layer of the soil and is the most fertile because it contains the most organic, nutrient-rich materials.

Question 10

What is aridity?

Answer 10

The state or quality of being extremely dry.

Question 11

What is diurnal temperature range?

Answer 11

The difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures within 1 day.

Question 12

What does irrigated mean?

Answer 12

Artificial process of applying controlled amounts of water to land.

Question 13

What are xerophytes?

Answer 13

Plants that can survive in very dry conditions. They use a range of adaptations; thick and watery cuticles.

Question 14

What are the physical characteristics of a hot desert?

Answer 14

• dryness/aridity
• lack of biodiversity
• heat
• lack of clouds
• barren - sparse vegetation
• sunny
• rocky/sandy
• dry
• poor soils
• low vegetation cover
• less than 250mm rainfall a year

Question 15

What is the definition of a desert?

Answer 15

An area receiving less than 250mm of rainfall resulting in extreme aridity (dryness).

Question 16

Where are hot deserts found?

Answer 16

• biome found near the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (20-30 degrees north and south of the equator)
• found between 15-30degrees north and south of the equator.

Question 17

Why are hot deserts located where they are?

Answer 17

• hot air rises at equator
• reaches height limit in atmosphere
• air is pushed North or South
• air becomes cooled due to high altitude
• air is dryer due to the cooler air
• high pressure air leads to dry conditions
• air falls, falling high pressure air leads to dry conditions on the ground (desert)
• high pressure air contains little condensation, clear sky means little clouds, area is dryer due to less precipitation.

Question 18

Where is the Tropic of Cancer?

Answer 18

23 degrees north of the equator.

Question 19

Where is the Tropic of Capricorn?

Answer 19

23 degrees south of the equator.