Deserts


Glossary

A

adaptations
 - the changes of an organism that allows it to survive
alien
 - not native, from somewhere else
arctic
 - from the polar regions of the earth

B

burrowing
 - digs tunnels underground

C

carbon dioxide
 - colorless, odorless gas in our atmosphere
chemicals
 - a substance for use in chemistry
conserving
 - to protect or save
consumers
 - animals that eat plants - herbivores

D

dominated
 - controlled
dormant
 - resting, sleeping or inactive
drainage
 - to drain liquid or water from something or from an area
drought
 - a time period without rain - long enough to cause damage to life

E

elevation
 - height above sea level
emerge
 - come out from
ephemeral
 - lasts a short time
evaporate
 - to change from liquid water to water vapor
exotic
 - unusual
extreme
 - excessive, bigger, more

F

fertile
 - capable of producing crops or vegetation

G

germinating
 - to begin to grow from a seed

H

hardy
 - strong or tough

I

immigrants
 - people who move from another country
imported
 - not native - new to the area
inhibitors
 - something used to stop or slow something else

L

lichens
 - a simple slow growing plant that forms on rocks

M

minimal
 - small amount

N

nocturnal
 - hunts at night - active at night

O

oasis (oases - plural)
 - an area of growing plants in a desert region

P

photosynthesis
 - the process by which plants convert sunlight to food
porous
 - covered in small holes
precipitation
 - rain, sleet, snow or hail

R

reflective
 - similar to a mirror - light bounces off of it

S

sagebrush steppe desert
 - an area between a forest and a hot and dry desert
sprout
 - start to grow
stomata
 - small holes in leaves that allow for exchange of gases
sustain
 - endure or last

T

taproots
 - a long type of root that grows straight down - like a carrot
textured
 - surface with a raised feeling
transpiration
 - the process where plants give off water vapor
transported
 - moved
Tropic of Cancer
 - the most northern circle of latitude where the sun can appear directly overhead
Tropic of Capricorn
 - the most southern circle of latitude where the sun can appear directly overhead

U

unintentionally
 - accidently

V

variations
 - differences

W

watershed
 - an area of land that separates water flow