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Laurie Keating

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Biomes of the World

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Where are the deserts?

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a hill of loose sand formed in areas such as deserts where winds are strong and tend to blow from one direction.

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CACTUS
Cactus adapt to the dry weather by not having leaves, storing water inside their fleshy stems, and are covered by waxy substance to prevent water loss.

Organ Pipe Cactus

Saguaro Cactus

Barrel Cactus techfed kerala

Prickly Pear Cactus

Animals of the Desert

CAMEL
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FENNEC FOX

OTHER INHABITANTS

Burrowing owl

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Scorpion

DESERTIFICATION

Desertification occurs in cropland (both irrigated and nonirrigated), pasture. Loss of soil, deterioration of soil, and loss of natural vegetation all lead to desertification. Drought, a period of unusually dry weather, can cause loss of vegetation, which in turn leads to desertification. Poor land management and increasing population are factors that promote increased irrigation, improper cultivation or over cultivation, and increased numbers of livestock.

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CONSEQUENCES OF DESERTIFICATION
In most cases of desertification, there is a reduction in total species richness, and a decline in overall biodiversity The absence of vegetation also enhances runoff and erosion by water and wind. Erosion may form deep gullies, lowering the local water table (level of water within the ground) and making less water available for plants. Wind erosion blows away nutrients in the soil and may physically damage plants. Each of these effects makes plant growth more difficult and may further reduce the amount of vegetation covering the land, which in turn leads to more degradation.
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EFFORTS TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION


Experts commonly recommend decreasing herd sizes, changing plowing practices, planting windbreaks, planting less profitable crops, and allowing each field to lie fallow on a rotating basis. In irrigated agriculture, more expensive and intensive water management is recommended, requiring improved water delivery systems, field preparation, and drainage systems. Increasingly poor populations, however, cannot absorb a reduction in income, cannot usually invest in improvements, and may not have sufficient labor available to implement even simple measures.

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Leave this land as nature intended.

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