they are on and around the tropics of cancer and
Capricorn but not on the equator. The largest area of
desert is in the Middle East and Africa in countries such
as Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Libya and Algeria.
climate
the temperature ranges from approximately 13
degrees in December and January to
approximately 33 degrees in June and July
the rainfall varies from approximately 20 degrees in
January to non in June, July or August.
at night the temperature can reach -18 degrees
human uses
Thar desert (LEDC)
subsidence farming
farming is limited because the soil contains very
few nutrients and is not very fertile
irrigation
the Indira Ghandi canal irrigates an area near jodhpur. it
supplies drinking water and crops can be grown on eather
side
mining
limestone and gypsum ( for making plaster) are found in
the desert and valuable to the building industry
Sonoran desert (MEDC0
retirement communities
the beautiful views, all year round hot weather and sunshine,
attract a lot of elderly people to the desert
golf cources
the hot weather and increased number of elderly residents has
lead to the development of leisure facilities, particularly golf courses
tourism
tourism provides a large amount of income for the local residents, people who run buggy
tours, moonlight tours, adventure tours and traditional cowboy ranches
plant adaptations
they grow slowly
and live a long time
stores water in root bulbs
wide spread roots to collect
a large area of underground
water
green stems to increase rates of photosynthesis
stems swell up
after rain to store
water
xerophyitic
ephemerals only live for a short time, they germinate,grow,
flower, produce seeds and die back quickly after rain
waxy leaves to reduce water loss and they have a
real aroma to stop predators eating them.
leaves are tiny thorns to reduce
water loss and to stop animals from
eating them
salinisation
salts are deposited on the
surface from high levels of
evaporation
it makes the ground too
salty for plants to grow
problems
salty water
no roads
no hospital
tourism (more water needed)
fuel
soil erosion
population pressure (leads to over
grazing and over cultivation)