Lahoylahoy, Julie Marie P.

Module 10

Desert Ecosystem

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/1269678574864957443

Introduction

A desert ecosystem is defined by interactions between organism, the climate in which they live
and any other non-living influences on the habitat. Desert are large, extremely dry area of land with
sparse vegetation. It is one of the earth’s major type of ecosystem supporting a community of distinctive
plants and animals specially adapted to harsh environments. The dry condition of deserts helps promote
the formation and concentration of important minerals. Gypsum, borates, nitrates, potassium, and
other salts build up in deserts when water carrying these minerals evaporate. Desert regions also hold
75% of known oil reserve in the world.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Explain how organisms adapt to the condition in the desert.

2. Present an organized characterization of desert ecosystem.
3. Illustrate the structural adaptation of organisms that live in the desert.

Pre-Assessment

Choose the best answer.

1. What type of habitat is found in dry regions with few species of producers?

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 a. Forest
b. Desert
c. Grassland
d. Lakes
Ans. a

2. Why can’t certain plants and animals live in the desert?

a. Very hot
b. No food
c. No water
d. Sandy
Ans. a

3. What percent of the earth is covered by deserts?

a. 60-70%
b. 25-30%
c. 10-20%
d. 50-60%
Ans. a

4. What causes the reduction of biodiversity in deserts?

a. Conversion to irrigated agriculture
b. Mining
c. Urbanization
d. Tourism
Ans. b

5. Desert is very hot during the day and receives very little rain. Which plants will most likely
survive in this kind of environment?
a. Plants with waxy coating
b. Plants with few roots
c. Plants with large leaves
d. Plants with soft stem
Ans. a

Lesson Presentation

Deserts are arid region which are generally associated with warm temperatures, however cold
deserts also exist. These areas are covered by sand, rock, snow, or ice. They do not have a lot of plant
like covering the land. Desert ecosystems cover approximately 25-30% of the land on earth. The dry
condition of deserts helps promote the formation of important minerals. Gypsum, borates, nitrates,
potassium and other salts build up in deserts when water carrying these minerals evaporate. High
temperature during daytime and persistent wind accelerate water evaporation and transpiration in

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plants. High evapotranspiration and low rainfall are the chief characteristic of desert ecosystem, thus
producing sparse perennial vegetation of widely spaced shrubs.

Distribution. Deserts occur in bands near 30 north and south latitude or at other latitudes in
the interior of continents (for instance, the Gobi Desert of north-central Asia).

Precipitation. Precipitation is low and highly variable, generally less than 30cm per year.

Temperature. Temperature is variable seasonally and daily. Maximum air temperature in hot
deserts may exceed 50C; in cold deserts air temperature may fall below -30C.

Plants. Deserts are dominated by low, widely scattered vegetation; the proportion of bare
ground is high compared with other biomes. The plants include succulents such as cacti or euphorbs,
deeply rooted shrubs, and herbs that grow during the infrequent moist periods. Desert plant
adaptations include tolerance of heat and desiccation, water storage, and chemical defenses, such as
toxins in the leaves of shrubs, are common. Many of the plants exhibit C4 or CAM photosynthesis.

Animals. Common desert animals include snakes and lizards, scorpions, ants, beetles, migratory
and resident birds, and seed-eating rodents. Many species are nocturnal. Water conservation is a
common adaptation, with some species surviving solely on water obtained from breaking down
carbohydrates in seeds.

Reference:

Desert Ecosystem

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbi4wW7ojXs

Activity

Intense solar radiation, lashing winds and little moisture create some of the harshest living
conditions in the desert. Plants have evolved many adaptations for surviving the rigors of the desert.

Create an infographic to show the structural adaptation of organisms in the desert.

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Reinforcement

A desert is any location on earth that receives less than 10 inches of rain per year. Deserts are
extremely dry and may be either very hot or very cold. Hot deserts are extremely hot during day and
cold at night.

The next module will present the last of the terrestrial systems. An ecosystem that is dominated
by grasses that play an important role in livestock production.