A desert is an area which is very dry and receives only a little bit of rain (less than 250 mm for the whole year). A desert can be a place that gets very hot or very cold and the plants and animals have adapted to stay alive in these circumstances.
- Do you remember what is the meaning of 'adaption'?
- Do research and find a few names of deserts across the world.
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- There is a lot of information you can learn about deserts, but have a look at the video and then answer the questions
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- What happens during a 'sand/dust storm'?
- Name two cold deserts.
- What is the name of the largest dry and hot desert?
- On which continent is this desert?
- Name any two other deserts you know about.
- When will an area be considered as a desert?
- What happens to water if it 'evaporates'?
- What is a 'mirage' that you will see in a desert?
- What do we call a place in the desert where we find a lot of water?
- What is the main animal you will see in a desert and why is this?
Plants and animals must be adapted to survive in the desert. They must be able to live with only a little or none water at all. Not many species of plants and animals will be able to survive here.
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Plants that we will see a lot of in the desert are 'succulent plants' like a cactus and they have adapted in the following ways
- the plant is covered with a thick layer of wax so that the water cannot escape from the plant easily
- the stem of the plant are fleshy to store water and the leaves are either thick or very small and some plants have thorns in the place of the leaves
- these thorns will protect the plant from animals that want to 'steal' the water from the plant
- the roots do not go very deep into the ground and grow just under the surface so that it catches any water that falls on the plant
- many plants will not grow and look dead (but they are 'dormant' -like sleeping) until there is enough water for them to grow
There are also a lot of animals in the desert that can survive in this heat. Lets have a look at a few and how they have adapted
- write down the names of different animals found in the desert and write one sentence on how they have adapted
- make sure you pause the video and read all the information - you do not have to rush - take your time and learn something
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One of the best know animals in the desert is the camel and they are used for transport of humans and goods. These animals can stay without water for a long time and when they get to water, they will drink a lot of water at once and then store it again to keep their bodies hydrated.
They also have thick eyebrows and lashes that keeps the sand out of their eyes and casts shade over their eyes.
They have huge, flat feet which make it easier for them to walk over the sand and not sink in. Since it can get very cold at night in a desert, their thick fur will keep them nice and warm at night.
Besides from being able to go without water for a long time, they can also go without food for a while since they store fat in their humps which will give energy to their bodies.
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We do find certain tribes of people living in the desert.
These people have a 'nomadic lifestyle', which means they travel from one place to another with their animals and then live in tents where they stop and stay for a while. They will use animal skins and hair in the tent to keep it cool during the day and insulate it at night to keep it warm.
- find some pictures of different tribes that lives in the desert and also what their tents look like
In many areas all over the world, because of the climates that change and erosion and overgrazing (too many animals in an area that eats all the plants) and also people destroying nature, it will turn into a desert - this is called 'desertification'.
- Why would you say camels are well adapted to live in the desert?
- What is 'desertification'?
- What can cause this?
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It is wonderful that every single animal and plant have adapted to live in a specific Biome across earth...
Even in the harsh conditions of a desert.
