Diving Club

Thar

The Thar

Flora - The fauna of this area is termed as Northern Desert Thorn Forest, consisting of various trees, shrubs and herbs. These plants are prone to wind erosion. Names of some plants found in this desert- Acacia Jacquemontii, Calligonum Polygonoides, Dactyloctenium Scindicum etc.

Fauna- This region is rich in diversified flora and fauna. Several endemic snakes and lizards are found here. Animals such as the Blackbuck, the Indian Gazelle and the Indian Wild Ass, which are fast declining in other areas, are found in this desert. Camels are one of the most popular means of transport.

Arabian Desert

FLORA
Flora of this desert is such that it can survive in a limited water supply and tolerate salt. Oasis are surrounded by the 'Tamarisk Tree' . It accommodates flowering plants such as convolvulus, mustard, pea, daisy, caper, iris, and milkweed families.

FAUNA Fauna of this desert includes many different kind of species. It comprises of Insects such as Anopheles mosquito, Caterpillar, Scorpions, Spiders, Lice, Ants, Butterflies, Moths and Roaches. Snakes such as Vipers and Sand Cobra are commonly found. It constitutes of Mammals such as Ratel, Fox, Wild Goat.

Karakum Desert

Flora
The vegetation in the desert is quite diverse, consisting mainly of grass, small shrubs, bushes, and trees. The humid early spring allows the extensive growth of ephemeral plants-the main animal fodder-while in the barchan dune areas the classic vegetation consists of grasses, the wormwood shrub, and trees of the species Ammodendron conollyi. The most widespread bushes are species of Astragalus,Calligonum, and saltwort . In places of deep underground water, white saxaul is the most typical plant, but, in regions where water is nearer to the surface, the black saxaul is found. The plant life of the Turkmen Karakum can be used as food in winter by camels, sheep, and goats.

Fauna
Animals are not abundant in the Karakum, but they are of many kinds. The insects include ants, termites, ticks, beetles, darkling beetles, dung beetles, and spiders. Various species of lizards, snakes, and turtles are also found. The most regular birds are skylarks, saxaul sparrows, wagtails, desert sparrows, and Pander's ground jays .The rodents found are gophers and jerboas. Such mammals as the tolai hare, hedgehog, barchan cat, corsac fox, and goitered gazelle usually exist on the plains.

Sahara Desert

Flora

Due to sparsity of water there is no or small amount of flora present there. Before the Sahara became a desert it was full of Mediterranean vegetation and now only cypruss and laurel can be sighted there. Plants here are adopted such that there is minimum water loss and lot of water absorption takes place. To this they have spines called the modified leaves from which transpiration is very less they have very long and strong so that they can reach the most humid layers of the earth and suck water, their water accumulating tissue is covered with wax layer so that there is less water wastage and also they make their roots uneatable. Date palms trees are essential for the people to live in oasis because they are an energetic source of food, tress are used for making baskets, mats, ropes, covers for the huts and the most essential use that it protects the nomads from the sun's heat.

Fauna
Today, due to abridgement of water and vegetation the scope for the living of animals is infitesmial. There are some exceptions to this this statement: the Nile River valley, northern highland, and some oases where some Mediterranean plants such as olive have been sighted. Around in 200 AD the use of camel was started in region because they were more advantageous than horse they could easily move on sand and could for a rangy period without food and water. The desert is home to multifarious macabre scorpions, snakes and rodents. One of the renowned cadaverous creature found in the desert is the death stalker scorpions which is very venomous. There are 40 plus species of rodents. Screw horn antelope is one of largest indigenous mammal. It remains in herds and the most interesting thing about this animal is that it does not drink water but sucks the moisture from the desert grasses and bushes. The carnivores blotched there are jackals and several types of hyenas. Another carnivores spotted there is Mall Fennec fox who house themselves in the sand dunes during the day and at night they come out to encapture their prey.

Kalahari Desert

Flora

Most common types of trees found in the Kalahari Desert are the camel thorn and shepherd's trees. The southwestern Kalahari, with very low precipitation, has few trees or large bushes. The central Kalahari, with more rain, has scattered trees and some shrubs and grasses. The northern Kalahari has open woodlands, palm trees growing among thorn brush, and forests. It has no apppearence of a desert. One of the largest and most unusual of the trees found here is the baobab. Kalahari desert melon is a valuable, edible resource for humans and other animals in the desert because of its hydrating properties. The seeds can be pressed to make oil, which is used to moisturize skin and hair. The Kalahari melon looks much like watermelon, and it can be eaten raw or cooked. Ghaap, or hoodia cactus, is a flowering cactus that is used by hunters and gatherers to suppress hunger and thirst during hunting trips through the desert. The plant in the Kalahari's harsh conditions are smaller plants such as grasses or the flowering Devil's Claw, which have tubers or corms that remain underground and enable the plant to flourish when water is available. In some areas, larger plants such as the camel thorn and the black thorn have adapted to the climate. Cacti thrive in the heat due to their ability to store moisture.

Fauna
Southern Kalahari is home to multifarious amphibious animals as it recieves satisfactory rain. Bushveldt rain frog and the tremolo sand frog are found in immense numbers. The giant bullfrog buries itself during the dry season, drops its metabolism to one-quarter of the normal rate and sustains itself using moisture stored in its digestive tract. Flamingos and vultures are found close to river areas. Black and white rhinos, elephants and wild dogs, meerkats and lions are also found in this desert. Antelope species gemsbok and springbok are hunted. The Kalahari lion hunts small species, maintains a large territory and lives in a small pride. Males have a black mane instead of a golden mane.
The northern Kalahari has a large number of giraffes, zebras, elephants, buffalo, and antelopes, predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, wild hunting dogs, and foxes, mammals such as jackals, hyenas, warthogs, baboons, badgers, anteaters, ant bears, hare, and porcupines, small rodents, several types of snakes and lizards, and a wealth of birdlife.

Taklimakan Desert

Flaura n fauna

• The Taklamakan Desert supports small populations of animals like
wild Bactrian camels, Asian wild asses, wolves, foxes, gazelles and wild boars.
• Camels, in particular, can tolerate the dryness of the desert area, and they are able to seal their slit-like nostrils closed, keeping out sand and dust.
• The Taklamakan Desert is almost devoid of vegetation.
Tamarisk, nitre bushes and reeds are the only types of greenery found in the depressions between the dunes; however, plant life is much richer along the edges of the desert area.
• Because the fertility of the soil is so low to begin with, the fallow fields have tended to become desert rather than to revert to grassland.
• In addition, the more recent market-oriented rural reforms have encouraged a rapid expansion of herd sizes, which in turn have led to overgrazing and further intensified the desertification process. in turn have led to overgrazing and further intensified the desertification process.

North American Desert

Flora

Soil of the North American desert is akin to that in humid region but the soil is not blessed with the organisms that enrich the soil. Most of the older surfaces belong to the dry-soil order called arid sols. In this Desert moisture presence in the soil is one of the most significant factor in deciding the texture of the plants communities. Many of the desert plants are xerophytes or phreatophytes. Sagebrush and saltbush are some of the trees found in that region. Sonoran desert has many trees that prevent the moisture from getting lost, one such example is cacti. Arizona desert is known for its massive saguaro and the barrel cacti. Chihuahuan desert is also one of the parts of North American desert which consist of massive scattering of large trees and shrubby undergrowth. Peculiar temperature and moisture conditions make the lichens, mosses and insects more complex.

Fauna

The desert has many of multifarious animals from all around the world. Due to harsh day time climate that occur from the month of May to the month of October, so many animals like the bats, scorpions, screech owls, mice and lizards all comes out to enjoy the coolness of the evening and hunt for their prey. As we go by the pathways in the North American desert we can notice plethora of birds of prey such as hawks, falcons, eagles and vulture. Mammals like badgers, wolves and mountains lions can also be encountered as we approach closer to the eagle canyon. The desert also has Bighorn Mountains that have one of the unusual species of desert big

South American Desert

The Atacama Desert

FLORA People can observe the pinnacle of Atacama Desert in September and November on the occasions in which earlier it received precipitation. The desert is also home to multifarious cactus, succulents and other species of xerophilous flowers.

The Monte Desert

FLORA AND FAUNA

The flora of the area is much more varied than the close by Patagonian Desert (which contains mainly shrubs and grasses) and the Atacama Desert (which is pretty much devoid of life). Shrubs and grasses are not only widespread, but tall cacti even appear in the more welcoming areas of the desert. The fauna of the area is also very similar to that of the Patagonian Desert, only in greater diversity and number due to the Monte's more open conditions. Small mammals like mice abound and larger animals like the guanaco and burrowing owl can be found as well.

Patagonian Desert

FLORA AND FAUNA

In spite of the harsh desert environment, a number of animals endeavor into and live in the Patagonian. Some only live on the more livable and geographically-varied border of the desert, where food is more plentiful and the environment less hostile, but all are found within the region encompassing the Patagonian. The burrowing owl, lesser rhea , guanaco, pygmy armadillo, Patagonian weasel, puma, and various species of eagle and hawk are a few of the variety of animals living in the region.

The flora of the region is quite common for its climate and includes several species of desert shrubs like tuft grasses like Stipa . Aquatic grasses and larger flora exist on the outskirts of the desert and around the short-lived lakes that form from the Andes' runoff.

Australian Desert

FLORA

Not many species can survive in the harsh desert climate but still the Australian deserts have quite a few species of plants. In the Great Victoria Desert Eucalyptus gongylocarpa, Eucalyptus youngiana and mulga (Acacia aneura) shrubs are scattered over areas of resilient spinifex grasses particularly Triodia basedowii. The same is the case with the Great Sandy desert with vegetation being dominated by spinifex.

FAUNA
Only a few species of animals adapt to the severe climate including species of birds, mammals and lizards. In the Great Victoria Desert the great desert skink (Egernia kintorei) and Crest-tailed Mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda) are some of the lizard species found. Birds like the Chestnut-breasted Whiteface (Aphelocephala pectoralis) is also found. Animals occurring in the The Great Sandy Desert include feral camels, dingos, goannas (including the large Perentie) and numerous species of lizard and birds. Other animal inhabitants include Bilbies, Mulgara, Marsupial mole, Rufous Hare-wallaby, Thorny Devils, Bearded Dragons, and the Red Kangaroo.