History of Biology Test 3: Great Basin Desert
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25 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Location of the Great Basin Desert | Eastern Oregon, southern Idaho, most of Nevada, ease central California |
| Why is the Great Basin a desert? | Rain shadow effect from Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges |
| Length of Great Basin Desert | 2300 miles top to bottom |
| Why is it a cool desert? | -rain shadow is the reason it is arid, -the north extends into the 49°N, -summers are only 2-3 months and winters last 4-5 months -freezing temps are common -annual precipitation 3 to 11 inches |
| Pluvial Lakes | areas today that are dry but used to be wet climates |
| Examples of Pluvial Lakes | -Lake Bonneville -Lake Lahontan |
| Great Salt Lake | In 1902, the Southen Pacific Railroad laid tracks across the lake, later they changed it to a causeway which restricted water flow. This made each side different from the other. The south is deep and receives most of the freshwater, whereas the northern part is shallow and salty. |
| Great Salt lake in the Ice Age | lake Bonneville |
| Lake Bonneville | prehistoric pluvial lake that covered much of North America's Great Basin region; now Great Salt Lake |
| Lake Lahontan | A major pluvial body that formed in northwest Nevada. Now is known as the Pyramid Lake. |
| Basin Range Province | a region of dry climates, few permanent streams, and interior drainage patterns in the western United States; a faulted landscape composed of a sequence of horsts and grabens. |
| Big Sagebrush | Symbol of the great basin, a grey-green shrub that is usually about 2-4ft tall |
| Great Basin Plants | -Greasewood -Winter fat -Rabbit Brush -Sand Sage -Shadescale -Russian Thistle (Tumble Weed) -Prince's Plume -Dodder |
| Greasewood | a spiny shrub that is an indicator of near surface groundwater |
| Winter fat | a small shrub with fuzzy white hairs |
| Rabbit Brush | a yellow flowered fall composite indicator of disturbance, either over-grazing or frequent burning |
| Sand Sage | an evergreen shrub with silver-gray narrow leaves |
| Shadescale | "sheep fat" a small compact shrub with spiny tipped and straw colored stems. Often occurs with creosote bush. |
| Russian Thistle (Tumble Weed) | introduced by Russians in an contaminated flax seeds. has a windblown distribution of its seeds. |
| Prince's Plume | indicator plant of selenium and uranium |
| Dodder | a parasitic plant that lacks chlorophyll, it invades other plants to get their nutrients |
| Sacred Datura | "Jimsonweed", produces large white fragrant flowers, its a dangerous plant that contains nervous system blockers. Some ingest for its hallucinatory effects. |
| Magpie | occurs on all Northern Hemisphere continents, has a tail longer than its body |
| Zebra Tailed Lizard | fastest lizard in the deserts |
| Edward Abbey | novelist, wrote The brave cowboy, and the Monkey Wrench Gang |
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