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- Temperature as Abiotic Factors of the Sahara Desert. a. Extreme temperature ranges. The Sahara Desert experiences high daytime temperatures year-round, with summer averages around 104-113°F in the hottest areas.
- Precipitation. a. Low rainfall patterns. The Sahara Desert receives little rainfall, with annual averages ranging from 0-4 inches. Precipitation occurs sporadically and unpredictably.
- Wind. a. Prevailing wind patterns. The Sahara wind regime is dominated by the dry, sinking air of the subtropical anticyclone and trade winds blowing from the northeast.
- Sunlight. Sunlight is an essential aspect of our environment that is important in many biological processes. It provides energy to support various metabolic activities and influences the growth and development of organisms.
Nov 21, 2023 · The characteristic abiotic factors of the desert are stony or sandy soils and sparse vegetation. There are four broad types of deserts: hot and dry, semi-arid, coastal, and cold. The...
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What are abiotic factors in the Sahara Desert?
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- Sunlight (as one of the Abiotic Factors in the Sahara Desert) Sunlight is a rguably the most vital abiotic component of the Sahara Desert ecosystem, especially for its roles in the sustenance of both ecological processes and environmental conditions.
- Atmospheric Gases. Atmospheric gases are important, non-living components of the Sahara Desert biome. The composition of the air, which mainly comprises of nitrogen, oxygen, and other trace gases; has n otable implications for the weather trends, long-term climate, and overall ecological e quilibrium.
- Physicochemical Conditions (as one of the Abiotic Factors in the Sahara Desert) Physicochemical conditions in the Sahara Desert are dependent on a range of abiotic factors that significantly influence the ecosystem's attributes and dynamics.
- Wind. Wind is an iconic, non-living c onstituent of the Sahara Desert ecosystem, with immense importance in multiple aspects. It is a dominant energy resource that c ontrols the desert's climate, modifies its l andscape, and influences its ecological processes.
- Overview
- How do organisms choose their habitat?
- Temperature
- Water
- Light
- Soil
Effect of temperature, water, light, and soil on habitat selection.
This article offers an overview of major abiotic factors that influence habitat, including temperature, water, light, and soil.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Inside a volcano? Underwater? In a cosy house in the city?
Realistically speaking, we take practical considerations into account for making this decision, like the neighborhood, the weather in that region, the availability of nearby shops, and so on.
If we were to zoom out and look at how all organisms (not just humans) choose their habitats, we can broadly classify these influencing factors into living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components. For example, the survival of a species of fish in the ocean might depend on the type of predators present, the pH of the water, the kind of competition it has for food, and so on.
[Can you guess which of these are biotic and abiotic?]
Together, these factors decide what range of conditions an organism can survive within.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the major physico-chemical, or abiotic, factors that influence habitat.
There is an incredible range of temperatures on our planet, from very hot (around the equator), to very cold (at the poles, high altitudes or deep underwater), and including everything in between. Metabolism is the machinery that keeps organisms alive - and since this machinery is very temperature-sensitive
[(why?)]
, there is a clear reason for life forms being distributed within their optimum temperature ranges.
That being said, there are always exceptions to the rule. While most living beings can only survive in a narrow range of temperatures (stenothermal organisms), some have wide thermal ranges across which they can function (eurythermal organisms).
You've probably heard about or seen news articles about the hunt for water on other planets. This is because life is tied directly to the presence and quality of water. In arid regions, organisms adapt to survive with limited water resources.
Aquatic organisms obviously need water, but they also need specific types of water. pH and salinity determine the distribution of some organisms. Similar to temperature, organisms can either tolerate very small ranges of salinity (stenohaline), or wide ranges (euryhaline).
test your understanding 1
Tardigrades are tiny, 8 -legged creatures that are found all over the Earth, including in the Antarctic and hot springs. Some species of tardigrade can survive extreme temperatures like −273°C or 150°C .
Which of the following statements best describe the nature of such tardigrades?
Choose 1 answer:
As you might have guessed, light is very important for the survival of most plants. Similar to organisms in the desert, plants that receive low illumination learn to photosynthesize optimally in such conditions. In some regions like deep underwater, where all of visible light does not penetrate, marine plants utilize only some wavelengths of light.
But it's not just plants that are affected by the presence or absence of light. Several behaviors of animals including feeding, sleeping, migration, and so on depend on the intensity and duration of light.
Several characteristics of soil influence life, including composition, grain size, nutrient content, pH, mineral composition, and water holding capacity.
Apart from these 4 factors, wind, oxygen levels, currents, and several other properties of the environment also contribute to abiotic compenents of a habitat.
test your understanding 2
A species of bacteria are evolving to spread across a region.
Which of the following are examples of abiotic factors that might affect its distribution?
Choose 2 answers:
May 16, 2020 · Desert Abiotic Factors. Desert landscape as an example of abiotic factors. Perhaps the most obvious biome that is determined by abiotic factors is the desert. Because of low rainfall, deserts develop ecosystems that are highly distinct from those of any other habitat.
Oct 19, 2023 · Many abiotic factors—nonliving physical and chemical aspects of an environment, such as sunlight levels, soil chemistry, and climate—shape healthy ecosystems.
The abiotic factors influence the distribution of climates, flora, and fauna. Learning Objectives. Define the term biogeography and the abiotic factors that impact it. Discuss how abiotic factors affect species distribution. Identify ways energy sources impact the biotic factors of biogeography.
