T H E D I F F E R E N C E SO F A D E S E R TE C O S Y S T E M

F R O M A F O R E S TE C O S Y S T E M

E C O S Y S T E M

I s d i v i d e d i n t o

t w o t y p e s :

- L i v i n g

- N o n - l i v i n g

T h r e e M a i n D i f f e r e n c e s :

1 . P r e s e n c e o f W a t e r

    2 . V e g e t a t i o n

  3 . V a r i e t y o f A n i m a l s

D E S E R T S A N D F O R E S T S

D e s e r t s a n d f o r e s t s h a v e t w o v e r y d i s t i n c t t y p e s o f b i o m e s . W h i l e b o t h c o n t a i n a l l t h e e l e m e n t s n e c e s s a r y t o s u p p o r t l i f e ( w a t e r , v e g e t a t i o n , a n d h e a t ) , t h e y d o s o i n d i f f e r e n t w a y s .

D u e t o t h e s e d i f f e r e n c e s , t h e l i f e t h a t d e v e l o p s i n e a c h e n v i r o n m e n t i s v e r y d i f f e r e n t a n d a d a p t e d f o r s u r v i v a l i n t h e i r b i o m e .

Forests may have numerous rivers and streams that flow beneath the soil. There are few water sources in the desert, and they may be situated hundreds of kilometers away.

Tundras, which are technically classified as a type of desert, may contain significant amounts of snow, but there is a lack of liquid water.

1 . T H E P R E S E N C E

O F W A T E R

Forest flora is diverse. The vegetation in deserts is simpler than in forests. On the other hand, some deserts can have many plant species that have adapted to harsh conditions, while other deserts may have only a small variety of plants.

2 . V E G E T A T I O N

D E S E R T E C O S Y S T E M

T y p i c a l p l a n t s a r e e p h e d r a , c a c t i . T h e r e a r e w o r m w o o d , a c a c i a , c a m e l t h r o n .

T h e r e a r e m a n y f l o w e r s : t u l i p s , m a l c o l m i a , e m i n i u m a n d o t h e r s .

D E S E R T I ST h e n a m e " d e s e r t " d o e s n o t m e a n a c o m p l e t e a b s e n c e o f l i f e . S o m e a n i m a l s a n d p l a n t s a r e w e l l a d a p t e d t o l i v i n g i n a d r y c l i m a t e a n d h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e s .

H o w e v e r , c o m p a r e d w i t h f l o r a a n d f a u n a o f o t h e r e c o s y s t e m s , t h e p l a n t a n d a n i m a l w o r l d o f a d e s e r t i s e x t r e m e l y m e a g e r .

I L L U S T R A T I O N O F D E S E R T

E C O S Y S T E M

W A T E R

O n e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t l i m i t i n g

f a c t o r s o f e c o s y s t e m p r o d u c t i v i t y i s t h e l a c k

o f w a t e r . B e c a u s e o f t h e l a c k o f m o i s t u r e i n

p l a n t s , t h e p r i m a r y p r o d u c e r s a r e a t g r e a t

d i s t a n c e s f r o m e a c h o t h e r . T h e i r s m a l l t h i c k l e a v e s a r e a d a p t e d t o

t h e c o n s e r v a t i o n o f w a t e r .

F O R E S T S

B r o a d l e a f f o r e s t s a r e c o n s t i t u t e d o f

l i n d e n s , o a k s , a s h t r e e s , e l m s , m a p l e s , a n d c h e s t n u t s . T h e

f o r e s t f l o o r i s e n t i r e l y o c c u p i e d b y g r a s s a n d b e r r i e s : a

p o l e m i c i s t , a l u n g w o r t , a n d

s t r a w b e r r y .

A N I M A L S

T h e f o r e s t e c o s y s t e m m a y c o n t a i n l a r g e ,

s m a l l , o r e v e n m i c r o s c o p i c a n i m a l s . F o r e s t a n i m a l s c a n i n c l u d e m a m m a l s ,

r o d e n t s , b i r d s , r e p t i l e s , a m p h i b i a n s , a n d f i s h .

L a r g e m a m m a l s a r e m u c h r a r e r i n d e s e r t s , w h e r e l i m i t e d a m o u n t s o f f o o d a n d w a t e r a r e m o r e s u i t a b l e f o r t h e l i f e o f s m a l l r o d e n t s , r e p t i l e s , a n d i n s e c t s .

F O R E S T A N I M A L S

A f e w s p e c i e s r e p r e s e n t t h e d e s e r t . T y p i c a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a r e : c a m e l s , a n t e l o p e s , k u l a n s , j e r b o a s , s q u i r r e l s , g e r b i l s , l i z a r d s , a n d n u m e r o u s i n s e c t s .  

D E S E R T A N I M A L S

A f e w s p e c i e s r e p r e s e n t t h e d e s e r t . T y p i c a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a r e : c a m e l s , a n t e l o p e s , k u l a n s , j e r b o a s , s q u i r r e l s , g e r b i l s , l i z a r d s , a n d n u m e r o u s i n s e c t s .  

T h e r o d e n t s , s u c h a s g o p h e r s , j e r b o a s , a n d g e r b i l s d i g b u r r o w s , w h i c h a l l o w t h e m t o e s c a p e

t h e h e a t . R e p t i l e s a r e w e l l a d a p t e d a s w e l l .

After a period of heavy rains, there is an increase in a number of plants, insects, and small rodents. With the onset of drought, the moisture that was stored in the tissues of the plants is gradually consumed.

A F T E R R A I N

F O R E S T E C O S Y S T E M C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S

T h e f o r e s t e c o s y s t e m i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y a l a r g e a m o u n t o f t r e e s , a n i m a l s , a n d w a t e r , w h i l e t h e d e s e r t h a s a l i m i t e d a m o u n t o f s p e c i e s .

T H A N K Y O U !

E S S A Y S H A R K T E A M