Summary:

A desert is a barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. There are a number of ways of classifying deserts including the amount of precipitation that falls, the temperature that exists, the causes of desertification or the geographical location of the desert. The average rainfall in deserts is usually less than 1.5 cm per year. 43.5-49° C. The average annual temperatures in deserts range from 20-25° C. and the minimum temperatures sometimes drop to -18° C. Soils are course-textured, shallow, rocky or gravely with good drainage and have no subsurface water. They are coarse because there is less chemical weathering. The finer dust and sand particles are blown elsewhere, leaving heavier pieces behind. Some desert animals include the Meerkat, the Texas Horned Lizard, and the Road Runner. Some desert plants include the Jumping Cholla, the Palo Verde, and the Brittle Bush.

Symbiosis:

When both the organisms involved in a said interaction get benefited from that interaction, it is referred to as a mutualism relationship. In the desert this occurs between the mistletoe plant and the Phainopepla Bird. The Phainopepla feeds on mistletoe berries and disperses the undigested seeds of these berries in the surroundings through its droppings. In this way the mistletoe plant provides food to Phainopepla, while the Phainopepla helps the mistletoe plant grow in the surroundings. When only one of the two