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A Report of Facts on the Desert Biome

Deserts are areas or regions of the world that receive very little rainfall. This low level of rain makes it very hard for most plants to thrive there. Deserts also have extreme temperatures, ranging from very hot to very cold. These features, coupled with the dryness, make it more difficult for most animals and people to live in the desert.

  1. World's Largest Desert

    • Antarctica is the largest cold desert in the world.

      When deserts are mentioned, the image that comes to mind is that of a hot, sandy region. While this is true of most deserts, the true defining feature of a desert is the amount of precipitation it receives. By this criterion, Antarctica qualifies as a desert. Antarctica is the world's largest desert, and it is classified as a cold desert. Antarctica is an exceedingly windy, cold and dry region with little to nonexistent precipitation. The precipitation that does fall in this area is usually in the form of snow.

    Hottest Desert

    • The Sahara desert is the largest hot desert in the world. It also is the hottest desert overall. The Sahara encompasses a large part of North Africa, and in geographical range, it is about the size of the United States. Even though the environment in the Sahara is very hostile, animals like the Camel have adapted to survive in this region. These adaptations include a hump on their backs where they store water and long lashes that protect their eyes from sand during sandstorms.

    Driest Desert

    • The Atacama Desert in Chile is the world's driest desert. Some parts of the desert have not had any type of rainfall ever since people started keeping records. The central part of the desert is considered the driest, and climatologists refer to it as "absolute desert." The landscape in this part of the desert is very barren as there is hardly any plant or animal to be found here. However, human beings have established town and oasis cities in parts of Atacama. They live in coastal cities and even maintain some form of agriculture through the use of drip-irrigation using water sourced from aquifers.

    Desert Plants

    • The relatively few plant species found in the various deserts of the world have developed behavioral and physiological adaptations that help them survive the harsh environment. Plants, such as the cactus, have modified their leaves to enable them conserve water. Some plants remain dormant during periods of drought and only come to life when the rains come. Some plants also have waxy leaves, which further help them reduce transpiration by sealing moisture in.

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