Deserts. Erinn Banting

Transcription

1 Deserts Erinn Banting

2 Published by Weigl Publishers Inc th Avenue, Suite 3304, PMB 6G New York, NY Web site: Copyright 2006 Weigl Publishers Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Banting, Erinn. Deserts / Erinn Banting. p. cm. (Biomes) Includes index. ISBN Desert ecology Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Biomes (Weigl Publishers) QH541.5.D4B dc Printed in the United States of America Project Coordinators Heather C. Hudak, Heather Kissock Substantive Editor Heather C. Hudak Copy Editor Janice L. Redlin Designers Warren Clark, Janine Vangool Photograph Credits Every reasonable effort has been made to trace ownership and to obtain permission to reprint copyright material. The publishers would be pleased to have any errors or omissions brought to their attention so that they may be corrected in subsequent printings. Cover: Getty Images/Berry Bingel/Taxi (front); Getty Images/Art Wolfe/Stone (back left); Getty Images/Melanie Acevedo/Botanica (back middle); Getty Images/Digital Vision (back right). Getty Images: pages 1 (altrendo nature/altrendo), 3 (Kevin Schafer/The Image Bank), 4 (Jack Dykinga/The Image Bank), 5 (Edmond Van Hoorick/Photodisc Red), 6 (Luca Trovato/Stone), 7L (Pete Turner/The Image Bank), 7R (Joel Sartore/National Geographic), 10 (Gavin Hellier/Photographer s Choice), 11 (Digital Vision), 12 (Rich Reid/National Geographic), 13 (Frans Lemmens/The Image Bank), 14 (Gina Corrigan/Robert Harding World Imagery), 15L (Kim Steele/Photographer s Choice), 15R (Robert Francis/Robert Harding World Imagery), 16T (Frans Lemmens/The Image Bank), 16M (Frans Lemmens/The Image Bank), 16B (Digital Vision), 17L (David McGlynn/Taxi), 17R (altrendo nature/altrendo), 18L (Jack Dykinga/The Image Bank), 18R (Walter Bibikow/Taxi), 19 (Melanie Acevedo/Botanica), 20L (Jeremy Woodhouse/Photodisc Blue), 20R (Andy Rouse/The Image Bank), 21 (Art Wolfe/Stone), 22L (Andrew Bannister/Gallo Images), 22R (Jason Edwards/National Geographic), 23 (Heinrich van den Berg/Gallo Images), 24 (Ken Bohn/Zoological Society of San Diego), 25L (William F. Campbell/Time Life Pictures), 25R (Photolink/Photodisc Green), 26 (STR/AFP), 27L (Heinrich van den Berg/Gallo Images), 27R (Adrian Bradshaw), 28T (Frans Lemmens/The Image Bank), 28B/29B (Rubberball Productions), 29 (Digital Vision), 30 (Randa Bishop/America 24-7). Photo Researchers Heather C. Hudak, Kim Winiski Cover description: The Pinnacles are a beautiful sight in Namburg National Park, Australia. Some can reach up to 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) tall. All of the Internet URLs given in the book were valid at the time of publication. However, due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, some addresses may have changed, or sites may have ceased to exist since publication. While the author and publisher regret any inconvenience this may cause readers, no responsibility for any such changes can be accepted by either the author or the publisher.

3 CONTENTS Introduction... 4 Desert Locations... 6 Where in the World?... 8 Hot and Cold Climates Types of Deserts Desert Features Technology in the Desert Life in the Desert Desert Plants Birds and Mammals Invertebrates, Amphibians, and Reptiles The Desert in Danger Working in the Desert Eco Challenge Build a Solar Still Further Research Glossary/Index... 32

4 4 BIOMES Introduction E arth is home to millions of different organisms, all of which have specific survival needs. These organisms rely on their environment, or the place where they live, for their survival. All plants and animals have relationships with their environment. They interact with the environment itself, as well as the other plants and animals within the environment. This interaction creates an ecosystem. Different organisms have different needs. Not every animal can survive in extreme climates. Not all plants require the same amount of water. Earth is composed of many types of environments, each of which provides organisms with the living conditions they need to survive. Organisms with similar environmental needs form communities in areas that meet these needs. These areas are called biomes. A biome can have several ecosystems. Some desert rock formations are formed by erosion. The rock cap on top of these formations protects the fragile rock underneath from further erosion.

5 DESERTS 5 Deserts are a type of biome. Most deserts are barren landscapes dotted with massive rock structures or sand dunes. Some of the hottest and driest places on Earth are deserts. Very little rain falls in deserts, and the temperatures are often very hot. In any desert, it is difficult for plants and animals to survive. Deserts are home to some of the most unique creatures in the world. Many species have adapted to these harsh living conditions and lack of food and water. FASCINATING FACTS Though the size of Earth s deserts is always changing, they cover between 5 and 7 percent of Earth s surface. That is about 8.6 million square miles (22 million square kilometers). Some deserts flood, but they still do not receive enough rain to fill and sustain a river. Water either seeps into underground rivers beneath the soil, or it evaporates. Most desert plants grow low to the ground because of the intense heat and lack of water.

6 6 BIOMES Desert Locations M any of the largest deserts in the world are located north and south of the equator, near the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The closer a desert is to the equator, the hotter its temperatures. The Sahara Desert is 3,499,881 square miles (9,064,650 sq km) and covers nearly onethird of northern Africa. Neighboring the Sahara is the Arabian Desert. This desert is located in Egypt. It stretches about 999,966 square miles (2,589,900 sq km) from the Nile River Valley in the west to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez in the east. Few people live in this desert. People living in desert areas tend to live close to sources of water. The Siwa oasis in Egypt has a population of 15,000 and also serves as a popular tourist destination.