Cacti and Coyotes: Plants and Animals of the Desert

What is a Biome? A biome is a naturally existing community of plants, animals, and other wildlife that live in a single large area. A desert biome is characterized largely by the low annual rain levels an area experiences. There are four different types of deserts: cold, coastal, semiarid, and hot and dry. Unique animals and plants thrive in each of these areas.

Though fewer different plants and animals thrive in deserts, they are important biomes and cover approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface. Antarctica is the world's largest desert and the Sahara Desert is the world's hottest. These extremes make ideal homes for plants and animals that have evolved to withstand their harsh and unforgiving conditions. The North American continent is home to several deserts. Central and South America also have deserts, as do Southern Asia, Ethiopia, and Australia. The deserts of the world are very unique from each other, depending on their specific location. Hot and dry deserts are just that, and they may get a little bit of rainfall during the winter months. Coastal deserts are moderately temperate and cold deserts are some of the most desolate, with little precipitation during the summer months, followed quickly by long winters.

Desert Plants

Desert plants and flowers are unique in that they have adapted to do a great job of finding and storing water. Some very smart plants have seeds that won't grow, they stay dormant or inactive, until there is the right environment and enough water for them to grow.

Hot deserts feature some very recognizable plants called cacti. Cacti are great at storing water and they are aided by a waxy coating. Their prickly spikes keep away animals that would cause damage or otherwise interfere with their healthy growth. Cacti have shallow roots that are spread out wide and in a way that allows them to suck up or absorb water quickly. Other common desert plants include creosote bush, sagebrush, and ocotillo.

Coastal deserts are also home to different plants that have likewise adapted to little precipitation. Some have thick leaves used to absorb and store water. Saltbush, rice grass, black sage, and chrysothamnus all grow well in coastal deserts and require very little water to survive.

Cold deserts can also grow vegetation, though it is even more scarce than in other types of deserts. Plant life that grows in cold deserts include grasses, plants with thin, spiny leaves, and algae. These plants are usually only found during the brief summer months.

Desert Animals

Alongside the unique plants that grow in our deserts, there are also animals that have adapted to thrive in these environments. Those animals that live in hot and dry deserts are often cold-blooded. Snakes, lizards, and insects call these biomes home. Desert mammals include the kangaroo rat and the kit fox. Mice are also common and build their desert homes out of dropped cactus spines, offering protection from the coyotes and hawks that share their space and would happily make a meal out of them. Coastal deserts are home to geckos, dik-diks, skinks, and gazelles. The cold deserts are home to fewer species, most of which also live at least part-time in the waters surrounding the desert itself. Penguins, seals, and cold weather birds can be found in Antarctica and consume squid and fish to survive.

People living in deserts around the world have found a variety of ways to use the environment to their advantage. Its quiet, barren but beautiful landscapes have hosted many hikers and nature enthusiasts driven to explore and learn about these unique areas of our world. In their adventures and treks, people have found that deserts look tough, but are actually very sensitive. Mining, construction, and the grazing of livestock must be done with great care in order to maintain the balance of the desert's ecosystem.

• Hot and Dry Climate Deserts
• Hot and Dry Deserts and Cold Deserts
• Dry Plants and How They Deal with the Desert
• Desert Facts
• The Semiarid Desert
• Understanding the Semiarid Desert
• Who Lives in the Semiarid Desert?
• What are the Characteristics of a Semi-Arid Climate Pattern?
• Desert Plants Slideshow
• Types of Desert Biomes
• Learn All About Cold Deserts
• Cold Deserts of the World
• Cacti and Other Plants
• Interesting Facts About Cold Deserts for Kids
• Types of Deserts in Detail
• Other Lesser-Known Types of Deserts
• What is a Coastal Desert?

This article was created by Chad Kremp