Hot Deserts

• Hot deserts lie 30 degrees north and south of the equator with hot daytime temperatures and cold nights. Less than 250mm of rainfall per year, low biodiversity.
• How have camels adapted to live in hot deserts?


  Humps which store fat, long eyelashes to stop sand from entering their eyes, wide surface area of feet to reduce sinking into sand.
• How have gerboa's adapted to life in hot deserts?


  Strong and short forearms to dig sand, nocturnal to avoid predators, long ears to loose heat and keep cool.
• What adaptations do cacti have that make them suitable for life in hot deserts?


  Seeds which can stay dormant for years and germinate quickly, horizontal roots, small leaves, spines, glossy and waxy leaves to reduce water loss.
• Desertification - The process by which land becomes drier and degraded as a result of climate change and human activity.
• What are the causes of desertification?

  • Climate Change - resulting in drier conditions and unreliable rainfall.
  • Population pressure - land becomes overgrazed, lack of vegetation leaves land exposed.
  • Overcultivation - results from the need to produce enough food for the population - leaves soil infertile and exhausted.
  • Soil Erosion - When vegetation has been destroyed the soil becomes exposed to wind and rain making it vulnerable to erosion.
• Overcultivation - Where the intensive growing of crops exhausts the soil, leaving it barren and infertile.
• Overgrazing - Feeding too much lifestock for too long on the land, leaving it unable to recover and grow.
• Biodiversity - The range of plants and animals in an area.
• Ecosystem - A community of plants and animals that interact with eachother and their environment.
• Commercial Farming - Farming on an industrial scale as a business using machinery.
• How does water and soil management reduce desertification?


  Water from underground sources or from rivers or canals can be sprayed onto crops or used to flood fields - used in Australia, Badia, and Jordan.
• How can National Parks reduce desertification?


  National Park status means that land cannot be exploited and is protected - e.g the national park in the Thar Desert, India, was created in 1992 to protect 3000km2 of land and reduces desertification risk.
• Where is the Thar Desert Located?

  Rajasthan, North west India.
• Why is population in the Thar Desert growing?

  Most people are subsistence farmers, however with increasing development opportunities the population of the desert is also growing. The environment is increasingly under threat due to this growth
• What are xerophytic plants?

  Xerophytic plants are plants with adaptations that allow them to live in hot and dry conditions.
• Why do some plants have small leaves?

  Plants have small leaves to prevent water loss via transpiration. The smaller the leaves, the smaller the surface area, therefore less water can be lost
• What are tap roots?

  Tap roots are long roots of desert plants that enable them to reach deep under the ground to access water supplies.
• What minerals can be found in the Thar Desert?

  Gypsum, kaolin, feldspar, phosphorite
• How has mining helped the Thar Desert develop?

  • Valuable reserve of minerals such as kaolin, gypsum, and feldspar can be used to produce a range of things. These minerals can be sold, generating income.
• What can be quarried in the That Desert?

  Marble and limestone - aids development of desert as it allows generation of income.
• How has the extraction of raw materials helped the Thar Desert develop?

  Mining valuable reserves of minerals produces many jobs and generates income. Quarrying of marble and limestone also provides employment and can be sold for use in construction.