What is the desert biome?
The desert biome is the characteristic community of animals and plants found in the world's deserts. Deserts are found on every continent and make up around 30 percent of the earth’s surface. The main characteristic of deserts is a shortage (or complete lack of) precipitation; some desert regions go for years on end without rain. Other characteristics of deserts include extremes of temperature and very little plant growth. The desert biome consists of species able to live in these inhospitable conditions.
Since both plants and animals need water (and consist mostly of water), it seems logical that there would be little or no life in the world's most arid regions. Yet deserts support an array of organisms that, due to a variety of remarkable and ingenious adaptations, are able to survive in this unforgiving habitat.
On this page you’ll find facts on the desert biome, including: desert characteristics, the different types of desert, and the typical animal and plant species found in deserts.
