101. Ecology ecology of the Southwestern Deserts. This part of the web page gives basic information on the following ecological topics related to the North American deserts http://www.earlham.edu/~biol/desert/ecology.htm

Ecology of the Southwestern Deserts In order to better understand how human development and population growth in the Southwest is effecting desert ecosystems, we spent the first half of the semester learning about general desert biology. Worldwide there are (depending on your definition of desert) approximately 23 deserts which cover almost 15% of the world's land surface. The largest desert of all is the Sahara, in Africa. Another well known desert is the Gobi in Asia. Of controversy is the supposition that certain areas of the Arctic are deserts because they receive little precipitation. In North America there are generally considered to be four deserts. Elf Owl peering out of a Saguaro Cactus The Great Basin Desert is the largest desert within the United States and is considered a "cold desert" due to its higher latitude and altitude in relation to the other deserts. The Great Basin Desert spans across states of Nevada, southern Utah and Idaho, and the southeastern corner of Oregon. The Great Basin is vegetatively dominated by various species of Sagebrush. The animals that are characteristic of the Great Basin are the pygmy rabbit and sage grouse. The other three deserts are considered "hot" deserts due to the extremely high daily temperatures. The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North America although the majority of it is in Mexico and only a small portion reaches into the states of Western Texas and Eastern New Mexico. The Chihuahuan Desert is dominated by agave in the hills and creosote bushes in the lowland area. There is a great diversity of birds in the Chihuahuan Desert (some 400 species).

102. NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS GALLERY details. GREAT BASIN desert Cold winters, dry, dominated by shrubs (sagebrush, saltbush) and grasses, SONORAN desert MOJAVE desert Transitional http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desertecology/amerigal.htm

DESERT ECOLOGY HOME GALLERIES LINKS NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS The North American deserts (USA and Mexico) are grouped into four main types, which differ in their seasonal climate, elevation, topography, patterns of rainfall, and soils. These differences are reflected in the contrasting plant and animal communities of these regions. Click on an image below for a relevant page or go to NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS for more details. GREAT BASIN DESERT Cold winters, dry, dominated by shrubs (sagebrush, saltbush) and grasses SONORAN DESERT See also: Baja California and Pinacate Biosphere Reserve Warm, subtropical; twice-yearly rainfall. Dominated by creosote bush, but many large cacti and nitrogen-fixing trees in upland regions Sonoran, USA Volcanic, Pinacate Sonoran, USA Baja California MOJAVE DESERT Transitional between the Great Basin and Sonoran desert, but with some distinctive plants such as the Joshua tree in upland regions. Receives winter rainfall. CHIHUAHUAN DESERT Characterised by hot summers (with summer rains), cold winters and lime-rich soils. Contains many small cacti and cold-tolerant plants such as agaves and yuccas.

103. Mojave National Preserve (National Park Service) Baker desert Information Center. Open All Year 900 a heart of the Mojave desert, this new park was established in 1994 through the California desert Protection Act http://www.nps.gov/moja

Baker Desert Information Center Open All Year 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center October through April: Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. May through September: Friday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Fee Information This train station will reopen at the park's information center. Rose-colored sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, Joshua tree forests, and mile-high mountains are all part of the scene at Mojave National Preserve. Located in the heart of the Mojave Desert, this new park was established in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act. The Preserve encompasses 1.6 million acres of mountains, jumble rocks, desert washes, and dry lakes; outdoor enthusiasts appreciate the opportunity for solitude here not easily found at other southern California parks. Plant and animal life varies by elevation. Desert tortoises burrow in creosote bush flats, while the black and yellow Scott’s oriole nests in Joshua trees higher up the slopes. Mule deer and bighorn sheep roam among pinyon pine and juniper in the Preserve’s many mountain ranges. Mojave Desert experiences change with the seasons. Infrequent winter snows sparkle on the mountains. With enough moisture, spring wildflowers carpet the desert with vivid colors. Summers are hot; hikers and campers explore the higher elevations such as Mid-Hills and the New York Mountains. The cooler temperatures of fall mark hunting season. A network of dirt roads offer year round opportunities to explore by 4-wheel drive vehicle.

104. MBG: Brookings: Deserts...More Than Sand Most people think deserts are very hot. It s deserts. Every desert experiences at least one long period of severe drought each year. http://www.mobot.org/education/brookings/desert/desert.html

M ost people think deserts are very hot. It's true that summer daytime temperatures can rise above 46C (115F) in some deserts. But other deserts are cold. Dryness is the defining characteristic of deserts. Every desert experiences at least one long period of severe drought each year. The entire year often brings less than 200 mm (8 in.) of rain. Some deserts go years without rain. Others have rare years of such bountiful rain that countless, colorful wildflowers carpet the ground. Outside of the one or two brief rainy seasons, water is so scarce in deserts that some plants and animals collect precious dew C lick on the images to learn more. Brookings Center Home Introduction Desert Ecology Global Views ... Poison Frogs

105. Harold Heatwole, Professor Of Zoology Community ecology, especially of forest canopies, islands, deserts and the Antarctic. Curriculum vitae. http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/users/h/halfh/www/halfh.html

Personal WebSite for NCSU Faculty: Harold F. Heatwole - Professor Zoology Dept., College of Agriculture and Life Sciences WHAT IS HAPPENING: Dr. Heatwole is on an off-campus scholarly assignment from 01 June 1996 to 28 February 1997. The assignment takes place in the nations of China, Vietnam, Laos, Madagascar, Reunion and Mali. He's conducting research on the community ecology of desert and rainforest ants and reptiles. In China, he did field work on the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts, and at Peking University, he delivered a series of lectures. In Vietnam, in conjunction with Russian and Vietnamese scientists, he's helped organize the International Congress on Conservation and Biodiverisity of Tropical Forests, with a particular emphasis on the herpetofauna of Eastern Indochina. DEGREES: B.A. (Botany), Goshen College, Goshen Indiana, USA, 1955 M.S. (Zoology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, 1958 Ph.D. (Zoology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, l960 Ph.D. (Botany), University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia, 1987 D.Sc. University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 1981

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