Biology

Desert Biome: What is a desert? Examples of desert

len Alfred Ajibola - Wed, 29th May, 2019 @ 4:45 PM

Topics in Biology

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Academic Questions in Biology

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

Male Reproductive System - Len Academy

From the above diagram, which of the organ below isn't a requirement for the male reproductive system?

  • A. Bladder

  • B. Ureter

  • C. Glans Penis

  • D. Testis

  • E. Bulbourethral Gland

  • F. Epididymis

A walnut shaped male accessory sex organ located between the bladder and penis is the _____.

  • A. Ductus Ejaculatorii

  • B. Bulbourethral Gland

  • C. Prostate Gland

  • D. Ductus Deferens

  • E. Seminal Vesicles

  • F. Epididymis

In a food chain, the primary consumers are classified under trophic level  _____.

  • A. Zero

  • B. One

  • C. Two

  • D. Three

  • E. Four

  • F. Five

Cold blooded animals are referred to as _____.

  • A. Homeotherms

  • B. Endotherms

  • C. Poilokitherms

  • D. Ectotherms

  • E. Thermotherms

  • F. None of the above

All reptiles are vertebrates.

  • A. True

  • B. False

_____ cells are responsible for the formation of osteoblasts.

  • A. Osteocytes
  • B. Chondrocytes
  • C. Chondroblasts
  • D. Osteoclasts
  • E. Osteoprogenitor cells
  • F. Osteoblastic

_____ is a bone that constitute the axial skeleton.

  • A. Clavicle
  • B. Scapula
  • C. Patella
  • D. Radius
  • E. Sternum
  • F. Femur

Which of the following is false concerning cartilages and bones?

  • A. Cartilage does not have a direct blood supply while bones have direct blood supply
  • B. The process of ossification replaces a cartilage to bone
  • C. The protein that makes up cartilage is called chondrin while that that makes up bone is called ossein
  • D. Cartilage grows from both ends while bones grow from one of its epiphysis
  • E. They both have living cells within them
  • F. Haversian system is absent in cartilage but present in bones



Deserts:

Deserts are often referred to as dry land, arid land or a land with very little water. Alongside the tropical rainforest, savanna and swamp forests, the deserts are also considered as a part of the major biomes of the world.

Please read the concept of a biome here.

Most people may have imagined all deserts to be very hot and dry. In reality, not all deserts are hot and dry. In fact, some deserts are actually cold and will remain cold throughout the year. An example of a cold desert is the Antarctica.

Please read on the tropical rainforest and its characteristics here.


The desert environment is often characterized by very hot temperatures (at summer) and cold temperatures (at winter); with little or no annual (yearly) rainfall. In most cases, its annual rainfall is always lesser that 25 centimeters. In fact, the rate at which evaporation occurs in a desert exceeds its annual rainfall.

You can read on swamp forests here.

Note: An environment is defined as all external factors, internal factors, living factors and non-living factors that affect an organism. For instance, the soil, heat, air, water, plants and animals present in a desert constitutes the desert environment.

The living factors in an environment are referred to as the biotic factors or biotic components while the non living factors are referred to as the abiotic factors or components.

Please read more on the components of an ecosystem here.


Below is an image of a desert environment. Notice a scarcity of biotic components on the desert ecosystem. This is a result of its extreme temperatures.

Desert - Len Academy

Certain plants live and survive in the desert. These are termed xerophytes. Xerophytes have got adaptive features that enables them to survive on soils that lack water. Pineapple and cactus plant are examples of xerophyte.

Please read on the differences between plants and crops here.

Meanwhile, understand that animals and plants have adaptive features that enables them to survive in the desert. Examples of desert animals include insects, snakes, camel and donkeys.

Deserts are found on each of earth's continent. They cover about one fifth of the earth's lithosphere and will often stretch from one country into another.

Please read on the types of desert and their characteristics here.


Below are examples of deserts, the countries where they are present and their respective continent:

  • Sahara Desert - (World's largest hottest desert located in North Africa) Africa
  • Namib Desert - (Namibia and Angola) Africa
  • Great Sandy Desert - Australia
  • Great Australian Desert - Australia
  • Kahalari Desert - (Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) Africa
  • Gobi Desert - (Mongolia and China) Asia
  • Chihuahua Desert - (Mexico and USA) North America
  • Sonoran Desert - (USA) North America
  • Mojave Desert - (USA) North America
  • Great Basin Desert - (USA) North America
  • Thar Desert - (India and Pakistan) Asia
  • Arabian Desert - Saudi Arabia
  • Atacama Desert - (Chile) South America
  • Patagonia Desert - (Argentina) South America

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Amazing facts in Biology

Russia is home to the largest area of forest in our world with a land mass of 815 million hectares

Giant Squid - Len Academy

Giant squid lives deep in the ocean and they have the largest eyes in the world

The movements of the fingers are controlled by muscles of the palms and forehands

Platypus - Len Academy

Platypus (sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus) is an egg-laying, semiaquatic mammal found in eastern Australia. It has no stomach and as such, its food goes from the mouth through the esophagus and directly to their intestines.

Pufferfish - Len Academy

Pufferfish contain a toxin called tetrodotoxin. This makes them foul tasting and poisonous to predators. Tetrodotoxin is about 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide, and there is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans. Unfortunately, there isn't any known antidote to this poison.

Interestingly, a delicacy in Japan (called fugu) is made from pufferfish. This meal is very expensive, and must be prepared by trained and licensed chefs. An improper preparation of fugu may lead to the customer's death. Sadly, such deaths are recorded annually

Wombat - Len Academy ​​​​​​

Wombats are the only animal with a cube-shaped poo. They can stack up these cube-shaped poo, marking their territory with it

Robert Waldow - Len Academy

Robert Wadlow (1918–1940) remains the tallest man ever recorded in the Guinness World Records. He was an American who stood at 8 feet, 11 inches.

An abnormally enlarged pituitary gland had resulted into Robert Wadlow's giant size.

Cockroach is the fastest land animal on six legs

Laughing ape - Len Academy

Like humans, all apes laugh when tickled

Ostrich eye and brain - Len Academy

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain


Notable points in Biology

Layers of an Artery - Len Academy

An artery is composed of three layers:

  • The outermost layer is termed tunica adventitia (or tunica external). It consist mainly of collagen fibres and connective tissues that anchors the arteries to other nearby tissues.

  • The middle layer is named tunica media. It is made up of smooth muscles and elastic fibres that supports the artery in conveying blood at high pressures.

  • The inner layer is called tunica intima (or tunica internal). It is lined by a smooth tissue called endothelium, and is made up of a fine network of connective tissues.

Please read on the layers of an artery here

All living organisms possess various features in order to survive in their environment. This is the concept of adaptation. As an instance, a fish is able to live in water because it has gills and fins.

Also, a camel is able to survive in the desert because it has large feet to aid walking on sand without sinking. It also has long eyelashes to help protect it from the blowing sand and wind.

Plants are also able to live in different habitats because they have the required adaptive features towards that habitat. For instance:

  • Plants that live in/on water are termed hydrophytes.

  • Plants that live on land with moderate amount of water are termed mesophytes.

  • Plants that live on deserts or arid lands are termed xerophytes.

The point is:

All organisms have various features on them that enables them adapt in their habitat

For a thing to be considered living, it must possess all the basic characteristics of life. These include:

  1. Movement

  2. Respiration

  3. Nutrition

  4. Irritability or Sensitivity

  5. Growth

  6. Excretion

  7. Reproduction

  8. Death

  9. Adaptation

  10. Competition

Please read the explanations on all the basic characteristics of life here

During strenuous exercises like sprinting or running, your body may actually work in the shortage of oxygen. During this time, your body owes oxygen (called oxygen debt) and it must be replenished or repayed after the exercise is stopped. This is why you breathe excess of oxygen after you stopped the exercise.

This is the concept of anaerobic respiration

Food Chain - Len Academy

A food chain is a diagram that shows the relationship between plants and animals within a habitat on the basis of how they rely on each other for food.

Note: Habitat is a place where an organism live. It is of three types:

  • Terrestrial (Land)
  • Aquatic (Water)
  • Arboreal (Treetops)

You can read on food chain here