Film Science: Video Questions for Eyewitness: Desert

1. Why is a quick look at a desert misleading regarding the amount and variety of life in it?

2. An area defined as a "desert" receives what yearly rainfall?

3. What is the simple cause of deserts?

4. Are deserts a recent type of biome?

5. Deserts have uniform temperatures. T, F, explain.

6. Cooler deserts temperatures have what impact on a) moisture levels? b) food quantity?

7. Why are the kidneys of desert dwellers so efficient at retaining water?

8. What is the function of the dense layer of hairs on some cacti species?

9. In general, what body size is best suited for survival in a desert?

10. How do each of the following allow the camel to survive in the desert?

a) hump    b) fur    c) leg length    d) tolerance to temperature variations    e) water intake rate.

11. Fresh camel dung is so dry it can be used as what?

12. Why will a saguaro cactus explode if struck by lightning?

13. Seeds from the Rose of Jericho plant can germinate and begin sprouting in what time span?

14. How do frogs survive dry periods after ponds evaporate?

15. How do foraging ants find their way back to their nests?

16. Why is accuracy important to desert hunters?

17. Dust storm clouds may reach what height?

18. What design of lizard body is good for burrowing quickly into the sand?

19. The water at an oasis comes from where?

20. Will the Earth's increasing temperature result in more and larger deserts?