Question

Mention two similarities between the cold deserts and the hot deserts of the world.

Answer 1

1. Very low precipitation: Both types receive very little moisture, typically around 25 cm or less per year.
2. Sparse vegetation: Plant cover is limited in both, made up of species adapted to extreme water stress, xerophytic plants in hot deserts; mosses, lichens, and hardy grasses/shrubs in cold deserts.
3. Specialized animal and human adaptations: Animals and people in both environments show behavioral and physiological adaptations, e.g., burrowing, migration, water-conservation traits; irrigation or nomadism in humans.
4. Extreme, often rapidly changing conditions: Both environments present harsh conditions, temperature extremes, or prolonged cold, and can have large daily or seasonal variations that limit productivity.