Desert





//Team Members: //
 * ** Bermudez, Juan ** ||
 * ** Santiago, Frankie ** ||
 * ** O'Brien, Daniel ** ||
 * ** Olbrys, Kyle ** ||
 * ** Dyer, Nicole ** ||
 * ** Gaudet, Briana ** ||
 * ** Lopez, Cecilia ** ||

====Are you extreme? Do you dare to go to two of the highest and one of the lowest temperatures ever recorded on Earth? If your answer is yes, then come visit the Desert Biome! We have some of the rarest animals, but we have little vegetation. Come visit a place is that has barely been touched before by man.====

Introduction:
The name is forbidding and gloomy. Yet here in the valley, much of it below sea level, you can find colorful badlands, snow-covered peaks, sand dunes, rugged canyons, and the hottest driest spot in North America. Death Valley is an active world of contrasts and extremes. (National Park, US. "Death Valley National Park." //Us Parks//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. .).





Terrain of The Death Valley These are some species that live in Death Valley.

Climate:
====Death Valley is generally sunny, dry, and clear throughout the year. The winters, November through March, are mild with occasional winter storms, but summers are extremely hot and dry. Summer high temperatures commonly run above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Comfortable clothing providing sun protection and a broad brimmed hat are recommended in summer. Winter requires warmer clothing and light to medium jackets. Sturdy walking shoes are important year round.====
 * Death Valley** is a desert vally located in eastern california. Situated within the mojave desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in north america

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=__Antarctica__ =

Want to have the coolest adventure of yiour life? Want to see species you've never seen before? Then head on over to Antarctica! Bring extra layers and cozy blankets because it gets pretty chilly over here! You will encounter the cutest penguins to the smiley, playful seals. And if you're the type of person that doesn't like bugs then Antarctica is the place for you! NO BUG SPRAY!

**Climate:**
====Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in the world, but did you also know it's also the largest, cold desert too? Wait, what? A desert?!? How is it a desert? Well, a desert is defined by a region that gets less than 244 mm of rain per year and by this definition, Antarctica is classified as a desert. In the center of the continent, the average annual precipitation is 50 mm (about 2 in), which is less than what the Sahara gets. Along the coast, the average annual precipitation increases to about 200 mm (8 in). Unlike other deserts, there is little evaporation from Antarctica, so the snow that falls, doesn't really go away. Instead it builds up over hundreds and thousands of years into huge ice sheets.====

(Ward, Paul. //Cool Antarctica//. N.p., 1 Sept. 2001. Web. 15 Mar. 2012.
[].).

====You better bring your warmest winter coat because Antarctica is also the coldest, windiest desert too! It has the lowest temperature ever recorded anywhere on Earth, -89.2 was on July 21, 1983. It typically has strong, cold winds, so if you're looking for the coolest adventure of your life, Antarctica is a great place to be! Calm periods are rare and if they do happen, then they last hours instead of just lasting days. On July 1972, a wind speed of 320 km/h was recorded at the French Dumout d'Urville. If you're one of those people who really don't mind the cold weather go to the center of Antarctica! It is extremely cold with little snowfall, while the coastal areas have milder temperature and receives the most precipitation.The strong winds pick up the snow that has already been fallen and move it around from place to place. Blizzards are often common, making Antarctica look like a white blanket and making it seem like it snows more than it actually does. More than 99% of Antarctica is made up of ice, this contains 70% of the Earth's fresh water.==== (Ward, Paul. //Cool Antarctica//. N.p., 1 Sept. 2001. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. [].).

====Antarctica has no trees or bushes. If you don't really like bugs or animals then Antarctica is perfect! It's vegetation is limited to 350 species, of mostly lichens, mosses and algae. There are lush beds with some vegetation in some parts of the Antarctic Peninsula. Lichens have been discovered growing on the mountains within 475 km of the South Pole. In the dry valleys, some algae actually grow inside the rocks. Since the conditions are so harsh, it is easier to live inside the rocks despite low light levels then to be exposed at the surface.There are really no animals in Antarctica.==== ====At the top of the food chain, we have the famous killer whale. For secondary consumers, there is whales, seals, fishes and the cute penguins. For primary consumers, there is smaller fishes, krill, shrimp and squid. And for producers, there is plankton and bacteria.==== []



What does Anatarctica look like? media type="custom" key="13399174"

=__Kalahari Desert __=

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The kalahari desert semi- and sandy savanah in southern Africa extending 900,000 square kilometers. The Kalahari is one of Africa's last wildlife paradises. It includes animals such as brown heynas, lions, meerkats, and many types of birds and reptiles. Since the Kalahari is so dry their isn't much plant life. Their as grass and few tress and bushes scattered around the desert. A lion of the Kalahri appears different from other lions around the world. Since the Kalahari has a hot climate the lion has to adapt to it so they can survive. These lions travel in small groups around the desert but cover alot of territory. They hunt gemsbonks, antalopes, porcapines, zebras, wildabeests, and other small animals. They mostly prey on smaller animals because some of the bigger animals in the Kalahari such as an elephant would be very unlikely to take down. A pack of lions are usually found in highly populated areas of zebras or wildabeests. Lions a nocturnal hunters. These lions are lighter than others which is another way in which they are different.=====

The full name is Hoodia Gordonii The Hoodia cactus thrives in extremely high temperatures, and takes many years to mature. People of the Kalahari, the San People, have eaten this cactus to stay alive. This cactus is very unique. While the San Bushmen knew all about the powers of Hoodia, it was not until the mid 60's that the first research was done on Hoodia as an appetite suppressant. This cactus tells the brain that its not hungry. Scientists have named this molecule found in the cactus P 57. (Desert) Desert
 * Hoodia cactus:**

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Vegation in the Kalahari desert consists of dry grassland and scrubby acacias. Grasses thrive in the Kalahari during the rainy season. In the summer its temperatures can reach up too 40 degress celcius (109.F) and higher. In the winter (June to Agust) the climate is 25-32 degrees celcius(77°F - 89°F) and the air is very dry. This is also the best time to see animals because of the drought. The Kalahari desert receives less than 10 inches of rain per year. Precipitation can only be excepted between December and April. In the Kalahari the seasons are different. In June-Agust its actually winter, December-Febuary is summer, March - May is fall, and September-November is Spring. The average of all the temoeratures from all 4 seasons is 64F degrees. The surface of the Kalahari desert is very hot because the sun beams down on the surface. It is getting direct sunlight.=====





=Works Cited= 1. "Geography of Deserts." //Biomes of The Earth//. Infobase Publishing, Mar.-Apr. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. .

2. National Park, US. "Death Valley National Park." //Us Parks//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. .

3. Ward, Paul. //Cool Antarctica//. N.p., 1 Sept. 2001. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. [].).

4. Viau, Elizabeth Anne. //Antarctica Food Web//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. .