Deserts and xeric shrublands
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Xeric scrublands
)Habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature
"Xeric" redirects here. For the comic book grant foundation, see Xeric Foundation.
Deserts and xeric shrublands are a
Gobi, become quite cold during the winter.[1]
Temperature extremes are a characteristic of most deserts. High daytime temperatures give way to cold nights because there is no insulation provided by
ephemeral in nature, reflecting the paucity and seasonality of available water.[1] Woody-stemmed shrubs and plants characterize vegetation in these regions. Above all, these plants have evolved to minimize water loss. Animal biodiversity is equally well adapted and quite diverse.[1]
Degradation
Desertification
Main article: Desertification
The conversion of productive
Milankovitch cycle (which drives glacials and interglacials
) also affect the pattern of deserts on Earth.
Woody plant encroachment
Main article: Woody plant encroachment
Xeric shrublands can experience woody plant encroachment, which is the thickening of bushes and shrubs at the expense of grasses.
Ecoregions
The World Wide Fund for Nature highlights a number of desert ecoregions that have a high degree of biodiversity and endemism:[1]
- The Nama Karoo of Namibia has the world's richest desert fauna.[8]
- The Neotropics.[9]
- The Carnarvon xeric shrublands of Australia are a regional center for endemism.[1]
- The columnar cacti.[1]
- Madagascar spiny forests
- Atacama Desert
See also
- Desert – Area of land where little precipitation occurs
- Hydric soil – soil typePages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
- Mesic – Habitat with a moderate supply of moisture
- Rain shadow – Leeward side of a mountain range
- Sagebrush steppe – Grassland ecosystem
- Shrub-steppe– Ecoregion characterized by semi-arid grassland and/or shrubland plainsPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
- Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands – Terrestrial biome
- Xeriscaping — gardening or landscaping in xeric environments
- Xerocoles — animals adapted to xeric environments
- Xerophytes — plants adapted to xeric environments
References
- ^ a b c d e f g This article incorporates text available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license. World Wide Fund for Nature. "Deserts and Xeric Shrubland Ecoregions". Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
- ^ Lockwood, M. Managing Protected Areas: A Global Guide. p. 199.
- ^ "Nama Karoo". WWF. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
- ^ Hogan, C. Michael (2009). "Overgrazing". In Draggan, Sidney; Cleveland, Cutler J. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Earth. Washington, D.C.: National council for Science and the Environment.
- PMID 21592276.
- S2CID 133015720
- S2CID 33033125.
- ^ Cowling, RM; Hilton-Taylor, C (1994). "Patterns of plant diversity and endemism in southern Africa: An overview". In Huntley, BJ (ed.). Botanical diversity in southern Africa. Pretoria, South Africa: National Botanical Institute. pp. 31–52.
- PMID 34261239.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Deserts and xeric shrublands.
- Index to Deserts & Xeric Shrublands at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
- Xeric World Online community focused on the study of xeric plant species
- Desert Plants: List, Names and Adaptations
Biomes |
| ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Biogeographic realms |
| ||||||||||||||||
See also |
|