Free Flash Slideshow by cu3ox.com v1.1

Exploring the beautiful nature of California


California Nature: Mojave Desert


Situated between the Great Basin Desert to the north and the Sonoran to the south (mainly between 34 and 38°N latitudes), the Mojave, a rainshadow desert, is defined by a combination of latitude, elevation, geology, and indicator plants. The Mojave Desert is special because it has a little bit of everything. People refer to the Mojave Desert as a "high desert" because it has an elevation of 2,000 to 5,000 feet. It changes from a cold desert in the northern section and a hot desert in the southern section. The Mojave Desert covers 25,000 square miles. There are some fascinating features to be found in this desert, especially the Kelso Dunes. The Kelso Dunes are the largest of the Mojave dune fields, reaching 500 to 600 feet in height. When you run down these dunes you can hear an unusual "barking" sound. It is not entirely understood yet but some people believe that grains of quartz and feldspar rubbing against each other cause it.
The mojave desrt is called a high desert because of it's elevation The Mojave is a desert of temperature extremes and four distinct seasons. Winter months bring temperatures dipping to below 20 °F on valley floors, and below 0 °F at higher elevations. Storms moving from the Pacific Northwest can bring rain and snow across the region more often, the rain shadow created by the Sierra Nevada as well as mountain ranges within the desert such as the Spring Mountains bring only clouds and wind. In longer periods between storm systems, winter temperatures in valleys can approach 80 °F. Summer weather is dominated by heat, temperatures on valley floors can soar above 120 °F and above 130 °F  at the lowest elevations. Low humidity, high temperatures and low pressure draw in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, creating thunderstorms across the desert southwest. Autumns are generally pleasant, with one to two Pacific storm systems creating regional rain events. October is one of the driest and sunniest months in the Mojave, and temperatures usually remain between 70 °F  and 90 °F on the valley floors.
After temperature, wind is the most significant weather phenomenon in the Mojave. Across the region, windy days are common. During the June Gloom, cooler air can be pushed out into the desert from Southern California; in Santa Ana wind events, hot air from the desert blows out into the Los Angeles basin and other coastal areas. Wind farms in these areas generate power from these winds. The other major weather factor in the region is elevation. The highest peak within the Mojave is Charleston Peak at 11,918 feet, while the Badwater Basin in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level. Accordingly, temperatures and precipitation ranges wildly, in all seasons, across the region. The Mojave valleys are punctuated by towering mountains ranges such as the White, Spring, and Sheep ranges. These mountains serve as islands in the desert that tremendously increase biological diversity with the Mojave Region.
the mojave desert a part of California nature While some do not consider the Mojave a desert in its own right, the Mojave Desert hosts about 200 endemic plant species found in neither of the adjacent deserts. Cactus are usually restricted to the coarse soils of bajadas. Mojave Yucca and, at higher elevations Desert Spanish Bayonet, a narrow-leafed yucca, are prominent. Creosote Bush, Shadscale, Big Sagebrush, Bladder-sage, bursages and Blackbush are common shrubs of the Mojave Desert. Occasional Catclaws grow along arroyos. But, unlike the Sonoran Desert, trees are few, both in numbers and diversity. The exception is the Joshua-tree. While this unusual tree-like yucca is usually considered the prime indicator of Mojave Desert vegetation, it occurs only at higher elevations in this desert and only in this desert. Because water is so scarce, it is the most significant factor impacting the organisms that live in the Mojave. Though water is scarce, the Mojave is very special in that there is still quite a bit of water available. it has temporary rock pools, rivers, washes, desert plants hold water, and even the ground is an amazing water source in many areas.
The Mojave Desert contains a number of ghost towns. The most well known of these being the silver-mining town of Calico, California. Some of them are of the more modern variety created when Route 66 was abandoned in favor of the Interstates. Among the more popular and unique tourist attractions in the Mojave is the self-described World's Largest Thermometer at 135 feet high, reportedly also the highest temperature ever recorded in the region located along Interstate 15 in Baker, California. While the Mojave Desert itself is sparsely populated, it has increasingly become urbanized in recent years. Las Vegas, Nevada is the largest city in the Mojave, with a metropolitan population of around 1.9 million in 2006. Palmdale is the largest California city in the desert, and over 850,000 people live in areas of the Mojave attached to the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Smaller cities in the Mojave include St. George; Lake Havasu City; Kingman; Laughlin; Bullhead City; and Pahrump. All have experienced rapid population growth since 1990.
 
 
Website Created by Website Creations

About us      Privacy Disclaimer      Advertisers     Contact Us     Bookstore    Sitemap     Search    Floridian Nature