arid climates
Parched geographical zones
Arid climates are regions receiving very little rainfall—typically less than ten inches annually.
Deserts are the classic example, but arid conditions also occur in rain shadows and polar regions.
The term appears in geography, climatology, and agriculture: Crops that thrive in arid climates require minimal irrigation.
Plants and animals in arid climates have evolved water-conservation adaptations.
- xerophytesDrought-tolerant plant species
- desertificationLand becoming barren, infertile
- scorched earthDestroy all useful resources
- water conservationMinimizing freshwater waste strategically
- Mojave DesertSouthwestern American arid region
drought · irrigation systems · cooling tower · water scarcity · Gobi Desert · ephemeral streams · flash flood · evaporation · nomadic lifestyles · dust bowl · desert ecosystems · barren landscapes · parched land · bone dry · endemic species · Sahara Desert · caliche · dry heat
arid climateshumid climates
Regions with moisture-laden air
tropical rainforests · tropical climates · temperate rainforests · cloud forests · swamps