2. What is a desert? A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Deserts can also be described as areas where more water is lost by evaporation than falls as precipitation.
3. Weathering Mechanical Weathering is the breakdown of rocks and soils through direct contact with atmospheric conditions, such as heat, water, ice and pressure
4. Ephemeral Streams Ephemeral Streams also known as arroyos only carry water after it rains. They may flow for a few hours or a few days. Flash floods may follow
5. Basin and Range Found in Nevada, Western Utah, Southeastern CA, Arizona, and New Mexico. 200 small mountain ranges that rise between 900 and 1500 meters
6. Alluvial Fan A cone of debris located at the mouth of a canyon created by runoff from flash floods in deserts.
7. Playa Lake A desert lake that lasts a few weeks or days after abundant rainfall. The lake bed that remains after the water evaporates is called a playa.
8. Desertification The expanding of deserts that occurs as a result of human and natural processes. Drought causes vegetation to die and deserts expand.
