The Gobi Desert

1. The Gobi Desert

3. Definitions • Habitat: The place where an organism or a biological population lives or normally occurs. • Ecosystem: A system that includes all living organisms in an area as well as its physical environment functioning together as a unit. • Biosphere: The part of the earth where living things exist. • Abiotic factors: A non-living chemical or physical factor in the environment. • Biotic Factors: A factor created by any living component within an environment in which the action of the organism affects the life of another organism.

4. The climate conditions • The Gobi desert has a climate of extremes. • The temperature is known to shift as much as 60 degrees in only 24 hours. • In winter the temperature can be as low as minus 40 degrees. • In the Summer the temperature can be as high as 122 degrees. • The desert only receives an average of 7.6 inches of rainfall per year. • As the desert is extremely hot during the day some of the animals go underground to live in holes or burrows.

5. The wild onion: This is used for both medicin and medicine and food, it is crucial in Spring for helping revive Winter starved herds. The Goyo Plant: These plants taste like a cross between an unripe banana and celery, but many think these plants are poisonous.

6. The sauxal plant: It is the most • dominant and resilient of the Gobi • desert plants. • The Mongolian nettle: These plants • are the Mongolian equvilent of the • nettle and they give a long lasting sting if • touched.

7. Gobi animals • The jerboa: These are the smallest animals • living in the Gobi. They are built like • kangaroos and can leap as much as 10 feet. • The golden eagle: These birds can live for about 18 years in the wild. They prey on jerobas.

8. The snow leopard: They roam across the Gobi • in great numbers, but they are now on the list of • endangered species. • The Gobi bear: It also has become one of the • most seriously endangered species on Earth.

9. 10 interesting facts about the ecosystem. • Because of Desertification the Gobi desert is slowly expanding southwards into China. • The plants that live in the Gobi desert can survive on little water but have long tap roots to gather water. • Some of the unique trees in the desert store water behind their bark. • The camels in the Gobi desert have wide flat feet to prevent them from sinking. • The temperature can shift 60 degrees either up or down in only 24 hours. • It is not uncommon to see frost or snow on top of the dunes. • Most rain is blocked by the Himalayas. • The landscape is mostly bare rock due to the winds. • There is much less sand in the Gobi desert compared to others. • The desert is broken up into five ecozones because its so big.

10. What to wear to the Gobi desert • Cover your arms and legs to allow for temperature regulation. • Wear sunglasses at all times to protect your eyes. • Protect your head by wearing a turban.

11. The food chain

12. Environmental threats • Global warming is having a harsh affect on the Gobi dessert. • Desertification is spreading rapidly. • The snow and ice have been melting and thinning. • Some of the biggest lakes in the Gobi desert are drying up. • Because of the collapse of socialism in 1990 people now rely heavily on natural resources and this is putting pressure on these natural resources.