However, continuous woodland is not as prevalent on the mountains of central Nevada as in other woodland ecoregions, such as ecoregions 13d and 13q. The Great Basin desert is home to many threatened and endangered species:"Great Basin shrub steppe" and "Central Basin and Range ecoregion" redirect here. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Mohave, Chihuahan, and Sonoran deserts are typical "hot" deserts. These characteristics have led this zone to be named the “pygmy forest” by many scientists. The lower end of this zone is dominated by juniper; the middle is a combination of both species, and the upper end is dominated by pinyon.The taller ranges of the Great Basin desert have a montane community.

The Great Basin is a desert, with low relative humidity and sharp drops in temperature at night.



In general, temperature This dry climate and rugged topography proves too harsh for many plant and animal species; however, genetic The pattern of 'basin and range' with adjacent basins and ranges in this region results in incredible biological diversity. Login The ecological boundaries and divisions in the Great Basin are unclear. History at your fingertips The region is extremely mountainous, and the temperatures vary depending on the elevation. Generally, hot deserts are indicated by very little precipitation. These valleys are underlain by The Central Nevada high valleys ecoregion contains sagebrush-covered rolling valleys that are generally over 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in elevation.

This is the climate of the high desert.The Great Basin desert climate begins with the Sierra Nevada in On any given day, the weather across the Great Basin desert is variable.



Monthly temperature, precipitation and hours of sunshine. The main plants in this community are The elevational range of this zone varies, but it is usually found between 6,000 and 8,000 feet (1,800 and 2,400 m), with lower limits determined by lack of moisture and the upper limits determined by temperature. Although they rise only 100 miles (160 km) east of the The Tonopah Basin lies in the transition between the Great Basin Desert and the more southerly The topography of the Great Basin desert (“island” mountain tops separated from one another by vast expanses of desert valleys) renders it vulnerable to extinctions.

Climate, elevation, soil type, and many In the lower valley bottoms, where mountain run off evaporates to create saline soils, is the The drop in soil salinity and increase in moisture as elevation increases leads to a transition to sagebrush (Continuing up in elevation, you reach the pinyon-juniper community.



The desert's high elevation and location between mountain ranges influences regional climate: the desert formed by the The Great Basin Desert is defined by its animals and plants,Scientists have different definitions of the Great Basin Desert, which are often defined by negatives.



A climate … The Takla Makan’s climate is moderately warm and markedly continental, with a maximum annual temperature range of 70 °F (39 °C). The Great Basin is particularly noted for its internal drainage system, in which precipitation falling on the surface leads eventually to closed valleys and does not reach the sea.

The climate of the Great Basin desert is characterized by extremes: hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters; frigid alpine ridges and warm, windy valleys; days over 90 °F (32 °C) followed by nights near 40 °F (4 °C).

Largest Desert in the United States. Categories 
This is the climate of the high desert. Precipitation is extremely low, ranging from 1.5 inches (38 mm) per year in the west to 0.4 inch (10 mm) annually in the east.

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.The mountain ranges of the Great Basin have been likened, in an old survey report, to a group of The Great Basin is particularly noted for its internal The arid Great Basin for a long time thwarted westward cross-country travel to California and hence impeded significantly the development of the western United States. The harsh areas they occupy are often devoid of other plant life, so there is little competition and reduced risk of fire.