Abiotic factors:

Sand
Sunlight
Water
Air
Temperature


Biotic factors:

Scorpions
Coyotes
Cactus
Camels
Snakes

Mutualism

An animal might eat plant fruit and
disperse the seeds via scat... The animal benefitted
from eating, and the plant
benefitted from the seed dispersal

Commensalism
creosote bush and a holly shrub. The creosote bush
uses the holly shrub as a shade, wherein the holly
shrub remains unaffected and gets nothing in return

Parasitism

Mistletoe is an example of parasitism in a desert
environment. It attaches itself to a desert plant and
then gets food and water from this host.

Predator-Prey

Scorpions (predator)/ insects (prey).



Facts (?)

Although the daytime temperatures of the desert
biome are very hot, they can get very cold at night.
The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the desert
biome. It covers over 300 million square miles.
The vegetation does not grow very tall so the desert
biome can only accommodate small animals, rodents,
and reptiles. These animals can escape the harsh Sun
by hiding under small scrubs or hiding in burrows.
Many desert animals tend to be nocturnal, sleeping
during the day and coming out at night when the
temperatures are more tolerable.
Because there is hardly any standing water in the
desert biome, animals either store water in their
bodies or get their water needs met by the foods they
eat.
Dust storms occur when the wind picks up dust from
the surface. These storms can be up to 1 mile high
and travel over a hundred miles.
The plants that are able to grow in the desert biome
store water in their stem. They normally grow spaced
out so that their roots can extend and find water.
Some deserts are so hot that when it rains, the water
evaporates in the air before ever hitting the ground.
There are some deserts in Antarctica that are known
as cold deserts. They are considered deserts because
of the small amount of vegetation that grows there.
The driest desert on Earth receives on average 1
centimeter of rainfall every 5 to 20 years.
Because body fat retains heat, most desert animals
have an adaptation that allows them to store all their
body fat in one area of their body. The camel stores
all its body fat in its hump.
Cacti have many adaptions to survive in the desert.
Their spines protect them from being eaten by
animals and their waxy outer covering keeps
moisture from escaping.
Cold deserts (like in Antarctica) have very little
plants and grasses. The ones they do have only grow
during the summer.
The desert biome is actually a big tourist attraction.
People enjoy rock climbing, dirt biking, and hiking in
the desert.
The desert biome can be found on every continent
except Europe.