An Introduction

HOT DESERTS Starter – MINDMAP:

What do you already know
about Hot Deserts?
MYP
Statement of inquiry:
“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”

Our inquiry questions

Factual Conceptual Debateable
What are the characteristics of How do animals and plants adapt
hot deserts? to the hot desert ecosystem?

Key concept: Related concepts: Global context:

Global Interactions Systems, change, connections Globalisation and sustainability
SPECIFICATION
Hot desert ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics.

The physical characteristics of a hot desert.

The interdependence of climate, water, soils, plants, animals and people.

How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions.

Issues related to biodiversity

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 HOT DESERT
CHARACTERISTICS
Keep notes clear –
all quite similar to
hot deserts but new
Aims: information.

To describe the distinctive characteristics of the hot desert environment

To explain how plants and animals are able to adapt to the unique conditions of the hot
desert environment
To understand issues related to biodiversity in hot desert environments

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 WHERE ARE HOT DESERTS
LOCATED?
• Look back at your Distribution of
Ecosystems map

Hot desert ecosystems are closer to the Tropics

of Cancer and Capricorn, mainly between 15 and
35 degrees north and south of the equator. They
are usually located on the west side of
continents.

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
DESERT CHARACTERISTICS
Annotate your photo with the Desert characteristics from your Ecosystem Characteristics
maps

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 Animals People
Rainfall 1) Camels, tortoises and fennec 1) Low population density – Sahara has
1) Extremely dry all foxes the lowest on earth.
year around - may 2) Adaptations such as burrowing, 2) Poor water, limited soil, high
suffer periodic large ears and being nocturnal temperatures, limited resources and
droughts (night time activity) Why? poor accessibility.
2) Receive little or
no rainfall (below
250mm/year)

Soils
1) Little organic
or moisture
content
2) Few nutrients

Temperature Vegetation
1) Desert margins have scrub vegetation such as acacia, cactus
1) Very hot in the summer (35-40 and herbaceous plants
degrees)
2) Adaptations such as long roots and few leaves. Why?
2) Hot in the winter (20-30 degrees)
“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 SURVIVAL IN HOT DESERT
ENVIRONMENTS
What would your priorities for survival be?

• Getting water
• Preserving water supplies The authorities in Niger rescued 72
• Finding shelter and shade (to prevent dehydration) illegal migrants stranded in the
scorching Sahara desert after their
truck got a flat tyre

Hot deserts are home to a surprising diversity of plants, animals and birds.
How is this?
“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
PLANT AND ANIMAL Hot desert environments
ADAPTATIONS
 PLANT ADAPTATIONS IN HOT
DESERT ENVIRONMENTS
Starter – Have a look at the plants
on your tables. In pairs, answer:
Hint: Think back to Literacy:
What are they? How could you previous learning. Adaption: “the process
describe them? What can you see The climate is of change by which an
hot/arid/dry etc. organism or species
that may be an adaptation to Hot How is this different becomes better suited
Desert environments? from the rainforest? to its environment”

Extension: Explain why in relation

to climate.

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 WHAT ARE A DESERT PLANT’S
PRIORITIES?
Desert plants have adaptations to…: 
1. Increase their ability to collect and store water 
2. Reduce water loss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6L3korqXb4

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
THE QUIVER TREE –
SOUTHERN AFRICA, NATIONAL
PLANT OF NAMIBIA
Green, succulent leaves that store water
Bloated branches and trunk containing a spongey tissue
that stores water
Covered in white powder to reflect sunlight and keep the
tree cool
Leaves have thick rinds and few pores to minimize
evapotranspiration
Trunk smooth and impermeable to minimize water loss
Cuts off leaves and seals stumps to reduce water loss
during unfavorable weather conditions.

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 DEFINITIONS Hint: xe
ro- = DR
Y

Xerophytic
Plants with adaptations to live in a very dry environment are known as Xerophytic (they are
Xerophytes).

Succulent xerophytic
Hint: David Attenborough
A plant that stores water within its stem.
mentioned the Quiver Tree’s
‘succulent’ leaves

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
THE BARREL
WESTERN NORTH AMERICA.
CACTUS – SOUTH-

TASK:

1. Match the adaptation to its description and use

these to complete the annotations on the diagram.

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 DEBATE
Which is better adapted to living in desert environments, the
Barrel Cactus or the Quiver tree?

In pairs on your table, create your argument for the debate, ensure
you include the key terms that we have covered in the lesson so
far.

Keywords: xerophytic, succulent, adaption, gelatinous pulp, pores, ridges/folds, evapotranspiration.

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS IN
HOT DESERTS
Task: Sketch these animals and using your own research, annotate your sketches. How are these animals adapted to
Hot Desert environments?

https://www.internetgeography.net/topics/how-have-animals-adapted-to-the-desert/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57204/20-amazing-animal-adaptations-living-desert

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
 ISSUES RELATED TO
BIODIVERSITY IN HOT
DESERTS
What issues may there be with hot desert biodiversity? Hint: think about what you hear on
the news that may affect the environment.
Global climate change – even small changes in temperature or precipitation could impact plants and
animals living in the desert. It could lead to:
Drought, which dries up waterholes
Increased wildfires through increased temperatures, destroying slow-growing trees
Population growth – this can lead to a greater demand for food and resources which can damage the
environment e.g. grazing animals can destroy plants.
Tourism – use of off-road vehicles can cause irreparable damage to the desert habitats.
Task: Design a newspaper headline which describes the biodiversity issues in hot
deserts.
“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”
MYP
Statement of inquiry:
“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”

Our inquiry questions

Factual Conceptual Debateable
 What are the characteristics  How do animals and plants
of hot deserts? adapt to the hot desert
ecosystem?

Key concept: Related concepts: Global context:

Global Interactions Systems, change, connections Globalisation and sustainability
SPECIFICATION
Hot desert ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics.

 The physical characteristics of a hot desert.

 The interdependence of climate, water, soils, plants, animals and people.

 How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions.

 Issues related to biodiversity

“ The living world can develop sustainably in coexistence with the non-living world”