In the desert biome, on average, the hot deserts can normally get up to 104° Fahrenheit. The desert only get about 10 inches of precipitation each year. The desert soils tend to be poorly developed, with high content of mineral particles but little organic matter. Soils with a low organic matter content have a low water-holding capacity which means they cannot retain all the water that falls onto them. The desert has a low biodiversity because of the lack of life in the biome. The soils in the desert may be covered in a layer of small stones they also may be very sandy and gravelly.
Three types of plants in the desert:
Three types of plants in the desert:
Yuccas- Yuccas have thick, waxy skins to prevent loss of water through evaporation, called transpiration in plants, and they frequently store water in thick roots. Some yuccas store water in thick, fleshy leaves. Other species drop their leaves during drought to prevent the loss of water through transpiration. Dead leaves collecting against the trunk of the plant help protect it from the sun.
Saguaro cactus- The thick epidermis and waxy cuticle prevent water loss and limits transpiration like the yuccas plants. Another adaptation allows the saguaro to survive in the desert is it's spines, which are modified leaves and are common amongst most cacti plants. The spines of the saguaro protect it from animals that would otherwise eat the saguaro, or use it as a water source, and they help provide protection from the sun.
succulents- Succulent plants may store water in various structures, such as leaves and stems having some parts that are more than normally thickened and fleshy, usually retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. . They are drought resistant plants in which the leaves, stem or roots have become more than usually fleshy by the development of water-storing tissue.
Types of animals that live in the desert:
Animals and plants could not survive in the desert without each other. They rely on each other for food, shelter and protection from the sun. The relationship between plants and animals is one of interdependence. Animals seek food and shelter through the desert plants, plants need animals to help them pollinate and grow flowers.