The Sonoran Desert is located in North America and covers the southwestern parts of the state of Arizona, southeastern parts of the state of California in the United States and the state of Sonora in Mexico. The Sonoran Desert receives 25cm or less of rain a year (which is more than average for most subtropical deserts) and temperatures can vary from very hot (summer) to moderate (winter). The Sonoran desert is isolated from the Pacific Ocean by the Sierra and San Bernadino mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico by the Rocky and Sierra Madre mountains. Primary productivity is very low in this region but despite the overall low biomass of plant material, there is a fair variety of plant species. The dominant vegetation includes the distinct Saguaro cactus, a variety of small trees (including the velvet mesquite and foothill paloverde), shrubs (such as agave, brittlebush, creosote, and desert broom), and a large variety of annually blooming desert flowers. In spite of the low plant biomass, there is a variety of animal life in the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem including many species of insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals that live year round in this habitat. Additionally many species, particular birds, are seasonal residents of the desert and typically migrate north when the temperatures increase in the late spring and summer.
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Flag question: Question 1
Question 1
2 pts
What single factor plays the largest role in limiting primary productivity in this ecosystem
Group of answer choices
temperature
light
nutrients
precipitation