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Cold Desert Ecosystem

By: Bryce Fournier

Location on Earth

Location

Cold Deserts have large amounts of snow every year, 15-26 cm (6-10 in) of rain a year, soil with lots of silt and salt, and wet and somewhat warm summers.

Map of Cold Deserts

Why they Are Considered Cold Deserts

They are Cold Deserts because they're at higher altitudes than hot deserts. They are dry due to a mountain range stopping moisture from reaching the area.

Why Are They Cold Deserts

Biotic Parts:

There are many different biotic parts in the Cold Desert

Biotic

Arctic Fox

They have adapted to the cold environment by developing fur on their paws and by developing a thicker coat.

Arctic Fox

Kangaroo Rats

They've adapted to the dry environment by getting all the water from their food. It has a long kidney tube that collects every drop of water.

Kangaroo

Rat

Rubber Rabbitbrush

Are plants native to the cold desert. They prefer acidic or strongly alkaline soil, but they can use any soil. They are 1-4 feet tall.

Rubber Rabbit-Brush

Big Sagebrush

They are the most common plant in a cold desert. They live at high elevations of 4ooo-10,000 feet . They prefer dry areas. It also provides food for many animals in the winter.

Rock Ptarmigan

They start shedding feathers early on in winter. Then they grow a white coat for camoflauge.

Abiotic Parts

There are many different abiotic parts in the Cold Desert.

Abiotic

Rain

Water is in shortage in a cold desert due to lack of precipitation. It doesn't help, but it hurts the environment.

Rain

Sunlight

There is lots of sunlight in a cold desert due to short plants and little rain. This can help plants grow.

Sunlight

Soil

The soil of a cold desert can be different, but it's either sandy, rocky, or salty, helping different kinds of plants to grow in the cold desert ecosystem. They are also low in water and organic material. With few plants, there isn't enough nutrients in the soil for other plants.

Classification

The classification of an Arctic Fox is:

  • Heterotrophic
  • Sexual
  • Eukaryotic
  • Multicellular

Limiting Factors

  • Plenty of sunlight from the dry conditions. This can attract any plants or animals that need lots of sunlight.
  • Soil can be sandy, salty, or rocky. Limiting the types of plants that live there.
  • Plenty of air allowing animals to breathe.
  • Shortage of water due to lack of precipitation. This causes plants and animals to have to adapt.
  • Temperature is 13-24 C or 55-75 F degrees in the summer, and it's less than 5 C or 41 F degrees in the winter, causing animals to not live there.
  • Soil has low water and little organic matter. With few plants, there isn't much nutrients in the soil for others

Organization

Organization

Organisms in the Cold Desert

There are many different organisms in the Cold Desert:

6 Organisms

Arctic Fox

Arctic Fox: A fox with a thick coat.

  • Consumer: Eats plants and animals
  • Can survive temperatures of as low as -58 degrees F
  • Developed white coat that acts as winter camouflage
  • Active at any time of day.
  • Eats rodents, birds, and sometimes reindeer.
  • Can have up to 20 pups at a time once a year.
  • Relies on producers for food.
  • Multicellular animal that lives in cold deserts.
  • Animalia Kingdom
  • High on the food chain
  • Scientific Name: Vulpes Lagopur

Kangaroo Rat

Kangaroo Rat: A seed eating hopping rodent with large cheek pouches and long hind legs.

  • Gets water from food they eat.
  • Eats seeds from desert grasses. Relies on producers for food.
  • Is food for many predators.
  • Lives in underground burrows.
  • Multicellular organism that lives in cold deserts.
  • Animalia Kingdom
  • Have pouches in cheeks to hold food.
  • Quite low on the food chain
  • Have 1-6 babies at a time.
  • Are nocturnal
  • Scientific name: Dipodomys

Rubber Rabbitbrush

Rubber

Rabbitbrush

Rubber Rabbitbrush is a fast growing shrub native to the cold desert.

  • Like acidic or alkaline soil.
  • Plantae Kingdom
  • Producer: Relied on for food.
  • Usually 2-5 feet tall.
  • Used by Native Americans for yellow dye, tea, and chewing gum.
  • Scientific Name: Ericameria Nauseosa
  • Live in dry and open areas
  • Has a yellow-green flower
  • Lives for 5-20 years.

Big Sagebrush

Big Sagebrush is a shrub that lives in dry conditions.

  • Lives in dry conditions
  • Plantae Kingdom
  • Producer: Is food for consumers
  • Grows 2-13 feet tall
  • Used for medicines
  • Scientific Name: Artemisia Fridentata
  • Grows in dry conditions: cold deserts, steppes, and mountains
  • Evergreen Shrub with bluish-gray leaves
  • Lives for 26-57 years.

Rock Ptarmigan

Rock Ptarmigan

Ptarmigan means: A northern bird of mountainous and arctic regions.

  • Can survive winter;y weather
  • Have muscles attached to feathers to fluff up when it's cold. Have feathers everywhere for warmth
  • Eats birch and willow buds, and also seeds, leaves, berries, and other plants
  • Lay 4-13 eggs at a time.
  • Relies on producers for its food.
  • Multicellular organism that lives in cold deserts.
  • Animalia Kingdom
  • Scientific Name: Logopus Muta

Arctic Woolly Bear Moth

A moth native to the arctic

  • Decomposer: Breaks down dead material to nutrient soil
  • Adapted to spend 60% of their life soaking sun up to be warm enough to feed and grow.
  • Decomposes dead stuff.
  • Relies on dead producers and consumers.
  • Multicellular organism in the cold desert.
  • Animalia Kingdom
  • Scientific Name: Gynaephora Groenladica

Other Interesting Facts

Interesting Facts

Some Interesting Facts:

  • Many things can be a desert, but deserts usually have less than 16 inches of rain per year.
  • The original meaning of desert was "Abandoned Place"
  • Largest Cold Desert is Antarctica
  • The two largest deserts in the world are cold deserts
  • They are the worlds second most diverse ecosystem in the world.
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