Deserts - Environment | Environment for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


DESERTS 
 
Page 2


DESERTS 
 
INTRODUCTION 
Deserts are characterized by their rainfall —or rather, 
their lack of it.  
Most deserts get less than ten inches of precipitation 
each year and evaporation usually exceeds rainfall.  
Deserts – regions where more water evaporates from 
the ground than is replaced by precipitation –are 
generally extremely hot, but some, like the Gobi in 
Asia, experience very cold winters. 
Hence there are mainly two types – hot like the hot 
deserts of the Saharan type and temperate as are 
the mid-latitude deserts like the Gobi. 
And deserts that are hot during the day may become 
cold at night because they lack the insulation 
provided by clouds and humidity. 
Page 3


DESERTS 
 
INTRODUCTION 
Deserts are characterized by their rainfall —or rather, 
their lack of it.  
Most deserts get less than ten inches of precipitation 
each year and evaporation usually exceeds rainfall.  
Deserts – regions where more water evaporates from 
the ground than is replaced by precipitation –are 
generally extremely hot, but some, like the Gobi in 
Asia, experience very cold winters. 
Hence there are mainly two types – hot like the hot 
deserts of the Saharan type and temperate as are 
the mid-latitude deserts like the Gobi. 
And deserts that are hot during the day may become 
cold at night because they lack the insulation 
provided by clouds and humidity. 
 
HOT DESERT CLIMATE 
 
The aridity of the hot deserts is mainly due to 
the effects of off-shore Trade Winds, hence 
they are also called Trade Wind Deserts. 
 
The major hot deserts of the world are located 
on the western coasts of continents between 
latitudes 15° and 30°N. and S 
 
Page 4


DESERTS 
 
INTRODUCTION 
Deserts are characterized by their rainfall —or rather, 
their lack of it.  
Most deserts get less than ten inches of precipitation 
each year and evaporation usually exceeds rainfall.  
Deserts – regions where more water evaporates from 
the ground than is replaced by precipitation –are 
generally extremely hot, but some, like the Gobi in 
Asia, experience very cold winters. 
Hence there are mainly two types – hot like the hot 
deserts of the Saharan type and temperate as are 
the mid-latitude deserts like the Gobi. 
And deserts that are hot during the day may become 
cold at night because they lack the insulation 
provided by clouds and humidity. 
 
HOT DESERT CLIMATE 
 
The aridity of the hot deserts is mainly due to 
the effects of off-shore Trade Winds, hence 
they are also called Trade Wind Deserts. 
 
The major hot deserts of the world are located 
on the western coasts of continents between 
latitudes 15° and 30°N. and S 
 
 
HOT DESERT CLIMATE 
 
The sky is cloudless and clear.  
The moisture evaporates faster than it 
accumulates. 
 Days are unbelievably hot. 
 The temperatures during the day may soar as high 
as 50°C, heating up the sand and the bare rocks, 
which in turn radiates heat making everything 
around hot.  
The nights may be freezing cold with temperatures 
nearing zero degrees. 
Page 5


DESERTS 
 
INTRODUCTION 
Deserts are characterized by their rainfall —or rather, 
their lack of it.  
Most deserts get less than ten inches of precipitation 
each year and evaporation usually exceeds rainfall.  
Deserts – regions where more water evaporates from 
the ground than is replaced by precipitation –are 
generally extremely hot, but some, like the Gobi in 
Asia, experience very cold winters. 
Hence there are mainly two types – hot like the hot 
deserts of the Saharan type and temperate as are 
the mid-latitude deserts like the Gobi. 
And deserts that are hot during the day may become 
cold at night because they lack the insulation 
provided by clouds and humidity. 
 
HOT DESERT CLIMATE 
 
The aridity of the hot deserts is mainly due to 
the effects of off-shore Trade Winds, hence 
they are also called Trade Wind Deserts. 
 
The major hot deserts of the world are located 
on the western coasts of continents between 
latitudes 15° and 30°N. and S 
 
 
HOT DESERT CLIMATE 
 
The sky is cloudless and clear.  
The moisture evaporates faster than it 
accumulates. 
 Days are unbelievably hot. 
 The temperatures during the day may soar as high 
as 50°C, heating up the sand and the bare rocks, 
which in turn radiates heat making everything 
around hot.  
The nights may be freezing cold with temperatures 
nearing zero degrees. 
FLORA AND FAUNA 
Vegetation in the Sahara desert includes cactus, 
date palms and acacia.  
In some places there are oasis – green islands 
with date palms surrounding them.  
Camels, hyenas, jackals, foxes, scorpions, many 
varieties of snakes and lizards are the 
prominent animal species found.