1. Low humidity: The air is extremely dry, making it difficult for plants to absorb water and survive.
2. Sparse vegetation: Due to the limited water, vegetation is scarce and adapted to survive in arid conditions, like cacti, succulents, and grasses.
3. Extreme temperature fluctuations: Days are often very hot, while nights can be extremely cold, due to the lack of cloud cover to retain heat.
4. Wind erosion: Strong winds can cause erosion, shaping the landscape into sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and other unique formations.
5. Low biodiversity: The harsh conditions limit the variety of life that can thrive in deserts, resulting in fewer species than other ecosystems.
Types of Deserts:
* Hot and Dry Deserts: These are the most common type, characterized by high temperatures and very low rainfall. Examples include the Sahara Desert in Africa and the Mojave Desert in North America.
* Cold Deserts: These deserts experience cold winters and warm summers with low precipitation. Examples include the Gobi Desert in Asia and the Atacama Desert in South America.
* Coastal Deserts: These deserts are located near coastlines and are influenced by cold ocean currents, leading to low rainfall and fog. Examples include the Namib Desert in Africa and the Atacama Desert in South America.
It's important to note that the definition of a desert is not rigid. There are areas that may receive slightly more than 10 inches of rainfall per year but still share many of the characteristics of a desert.