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Cold Deserts

Cold Deserts. Chelsey Hedrick Walt Robinson. Climate. The average temperature throughout the year ranges from -2 to 26 degrees Celsius or 28 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in most cold deserts. The north and south poles are exceptions, being extremes.

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Cold Deserts

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  1. Cold Deserts Chelsey Hedrick Walt Robinson

  2. Climate • The average temperature throughout the year ranges from -2 to 26 degrees Celsius or 28 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in most cold deserts. The north and south poles are exceptions, being extremes. • The annual precipitation can be anywhere from 0 to 46 centimeters. However, this normally comes in the form of snow, ice, or fog which cannot be used to nourish the soil, plants, or animals.

  3. Where Are Cold Deserts Found? Cold deserts can be found…. • Where there is high atmospheric pressure. • Around the 30 degree latitude line (Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn). • On the west coast of continents with cold ocean currents OR in the interiors of continents. • On the peaks of very high mountains. • In the rain shadows of high mountain ranges. • Near both the North and South Poles. • Some well-known cold deserts include the Gobi (Asia), Atacama (South America), Great Basin (North America), and Namib Desert (Africa)

  4. Native Species Plants………………………………………………Animals • strict wild buckwheat (Eriogonum strictum) • Cold Desert Phlox (Phlox stansburyi) • Sego Lily (Calochortus nuttallii) • Rabbit Brush (Chrysothamnus depressus) • Red Algae (Rhodophyta) • Wolf (Canis lupus ) • Llama (Lama glama) • Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) • Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) • Kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni)

  5. Invasive Species • Flamingos • Humans

  6. Predator and Prey • Common Predators: Caribou, brown bears, Siberian tiger, foxes, snow leopard, Gobi wolf • Common Prey: Squirrels, beavers, dogs, small deer, a few birds, wild boar.

  7. Relationships • Siberian tigers are one of the largest hunters on earth and need over 20 pounds of meat a day to sustain life. They even prey on brown bears at times. • Below the Tigers are small predators such as snow leopards and wolves. • These animals feed on primary consumers which feed on what little plant life is available.

  8. Environmental Concerns • One main environmental concern of this biome is global warming. • Not only do rising temperatures destroy habitat for animals but it also causes deserts to become even more dry than they already are. • Humans destroy some animal’s habitats to develop building or use resources. • The Gobi Desert, along with others, is growing so rapidly that people could lose their homes because the climate will become uninhabitable. • Wind storms blow dust into fresh water causing serious health concerns like lung problems.

  9. Unusual Features • The Atacama desert is the driest place on earth. It is 50 times drier than Death Valley in California. • NASA uses the Atacama desert to run tests because it mimics the lifeless soil of Mars. • The Atacama is also considered to be the oldest desert in the world followed by the Namib.

  10. Surrounding Biomes • The main two biomes that surround cold deserts are tundras and regular deserts. • The only difference in these two biomes are the amount of precipitation and temperature. • They share many of the same plants and animals.

  11. Chile~ the Atacama Desert • Population (as of 7/2009): 16,601,707 • Ethnic groups: 95% white/ white-Amerindian, 4% Mapuche, 1% other • Religion: 70% Roman Catholic, • 15% Evangelical, 15% other • 95.7% literacy rate • School life expectancy: 14 years • Colonized by the Spanish in the Age of Exploration, gained independence September 18, 1810, “Chilean culture is a product of a cross-fertilization of European and indigenous influences.” • Major industries include: copper, salts, and other minerals; agriculture; fishery; iron and steel; timber and wood products transport equipment; cement; and textiles. • Some major tourist attractions include Easter Island, the Torres del Paine National Park, the numerous volcanoes and skiing resorts, and, of course, the Atacama Desert.

  12. Andean Flamingo • Genus-species name: Phoenicopterus P. andinus. • These flamingos feed by placing their head into the water and filtering algae through their specialized beak. • Flamingos can walk, swim, and fly adequately.

  13. Andean Flamingo • Reproduction is a long process. The female lays one egg on the mud near the shore which must be incubated for 28 days by the mother and the father. After that, the baby must remain with it’s parent for 70 to 80 days. • Typically found in shallow water in a high altitude desert oasis.

  14. Andean Flamingo Adaptations • Andean flamingos have smaller beaks than average because there is less food in their habitat and must filter more effectively. • Flamingos also have extremely long legs in portion to their bodies which they can lock and stand still for hours.

  15. Strict Wild Buckwheat • Kingdom: Plantae • Eriogonum strictum • Producer; bottom of food web • It propagates through seeds and bare roots. • It’s seeds are produced at a maximum during the warmer summers. • Buckwheat thrives in course soils, sunlight, and extremely cold weather. These conditions allow it to grow easily in cold deserts. • Adaptation: Roots extend on an average of 14 inches to reach deep, underground water sources.

  16. Works Cited • http://www.plantsystematics.org/reveal/pbio/eriog/erioeucy/strictum.html • http://www.travour.com/travel-to- chile/chile-tourist-attractions/ • www.chipsites.com/ww/chile_culture_101. html • http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal • http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images • CIA World Factbook • http://extremescience.com/DriestPlace • http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/deserts • http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES • http://www.neararctica.com/ecology/habitats/deserts

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