Deserts and xeric shrublands - Revision history

ZVPZulma5461169: improve details per standard format and improved wording

2026-02-23T14:47:37Z

improve details per standard format and improved wording

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:17, 23 February 2026
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	{{short description\|~~Habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature~~}}		{{short description\|Biome with 250 mm of annual rainfall or less}}
	{{redirect\|Xeric\|the comic book grant foundation\|Xeric Foundation}}		{{redirect\|Xeric\|the comic book grant foundation\|Xeric Foundation}}
			[[File:Ain Errich1.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Desertic region at the [[M'Sila Province]], Algeria]]
	[[File:Biome_map_13.svg\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Extent of deserts and xeric shrublands]]		[[File:Biome_map_13.svg\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Extent of deserts and xeric shrublands]]
	'''Deserts and xeric shrublands''' are a [[biome]] defined by the [[World Wide Fund for Nature]].<ref name=wwf>{{CC-notice\|bysa3}} {{cite web\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425205057/http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat13.cfm\|archive-date=2012-04-25\|url=http://wwf.panda.org:80/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat13.cfm\|title=Deserts and Xeric Shrubland Ecoregions\|author=World Wide Fund for Nature\|access-date=2019-05-29\|url-status=~~live~~}}</ref> ~~Deserts~~ and xeric (~~ancient~~ Greek xērós~~, “dry"~~) ~~shrublands~~ form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of [[Earth]]'s land surface area.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Lockwood\|first=M.\|title=Managing Protected Areas: A Global Guide\|page=199}}</ref> Ecoregions in this habitat type vary greatly in the amount of annual rainfall they receive, usually less than {{convert\|10\|in\|mm\|order=flip}} annually except in the margins. Generally evaporation exceeds rainfall in these ecoregions. Temperature variability is also diverse in these lands. Many deserts, such as the [[Sahara ~~desert~~\|Sahara]], are hot year-round, but others, such as East Asia's [[Gobi ~~desert\|Gobi~~]], become quite cold in winter.<ref name=wwf/>
			'''Deserts and xeric shrublands''' are a [[biome]] defined by the [[World Wide Fund for Nature]].<ref name=wwf>{{CC-notice\|bysa3}} {{cite web\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425205057/http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat13.cfm\|archive-date=2012-04-25\|url=http://wwf.panda.org:80/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat13.cfm\|title=Deserts and Xeric Shrubland Ecoregions\|author=World Wide Fund for Nature\|access-date=2019-05-29\|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Desert]]s and xeric ([[Ancient Greek]] {{lang\|grc\|ξηρός}} {{translit\|grc\|xērós}} 'dry') [[shrubland]]s form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of [[Earth]]'s land surface area.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Lockwood\|first=M.\|title=Managing Protected Areas: A Global Guide\|page=199}}</ref> Ecoregions in this habitat type vary greatly in the amount of annual rainfall they receive, usually less than {{convert\|10\|in\|mm\|order=flip}} annually except in the margins. Generally evaporation exceeds rainfall in these ecoregions. Temperature variability is also diverse in these lands. Many deserts, such as the [[Sahara Desert\|Sahara]], are hot year-round, but others, such as East Asia's [[Gobi Desert]], become quite cold during the winter.<ref name=wwf/>

	Temperature extremes are a characteristic of most deserts. High daytime temperatures give way to cold nights because there is no insulation provided by [[humidity]] and cloud cover. The diversity of climatic conditions, though quite harsh, supports a rich array of habitats. Many of these habitats are [[ephemeral]] in nature, reflecting the paucity and seasonality of available water.<ref name=wwf/> Woody-stemmed shrubs and plants characterize vegetation in these regions. Above all, these plants have evolved to minimize water loss. Animal biodiversity is equally well adapted and quite diverse.<ref name=wwf/>		Temperature extremes are a characteristic of most deserts. High daytime temperatures give way to cold nights because there is no insulation provided by [[humidity]] and cloud cover. The diversity of climatic conditions, though quite harsh, supports a rich array of habitats. Many of these habitats are [[ephemeral]] in nature, reflecting the paucity and seasonality of available water.<ref name=wwf/> Woody-stemmed shrubs and plants characterize vegetation in these regions. Above all, these plants have evolved to minimize water loss. Animal biodiversity is equally well adapted and quite diverse.<ref name=wwf/>
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	{{Main article\|Desertification}}		{{Main article\|Desertification}}
	[[File:Sengi-landscape Nama Karoo.tif\|thumb\|right\|The [[Nama Karoo]] in South Africa is a xeric shrubland that receives between {{convert\|100\|and\|500\|mm\|in\|0}} of rain a year.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1314\|title=Nama Karoo\|publisher=WWF\|access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref>]]		[[File:Sengi-landscape Nama Karoo.tif\|thumb\|right\|The [[Nama Karoo]] in South Africa is a xeric shrubland that receives between {{convert\|100\|and\|500\|mm\|in\|0}} of rain a year.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1314\|title=Nama Karoo\|publisher=WWF\|access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref>]]
	The conversion of productive [[drylands]] to desert conditions, known as [[desertification]], can occur from a variety of causes. One is human intervention, including intensive agricultural tillage or [[overgrazing]]<ref>{{cite encyclopedia\|first=C. Michael\|last=Hogan\|year=2009\|url=https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Overgrazing\|title=Overgrazing\|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Earth\|editor-first1=Sidney\|editor-last1=Draggan\|editor-first2=Cutler J.\|editor-last2=Cleveland\|publisher=National ~~council~~ for Science and the Environment\|location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> in areas that cannot support such exploitation. Climatic shifts such as [[global warming]] or the [[Milankovitch cycle]] (which drives [[Glacial period\|glacials]] and [[interglacial]]s) also affect the pattern of deserts on Earth.		The conversion of productive [[drylands]] to desert conditions, known as [[desertification]], can occur from a variety of causes. One is human intervention, including intensive agricultural tillage or [[overgrazing]]<ref>{{cite encyclopedia\|first=C. Michael\|last=Hogan\|year=2009\|url=https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Overgrazing\|title=Overgrazing\|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Earth\|editor-first1=Sidney\|editor-last1=Draggan\|editor-first2=Cutler J.\|editor-last2=Cleveland\|publisher=National Council for Science and the Environment\|location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> in areas that cannot support such exploitation. Climatic shifts such as [[global warming]] or the [[Milankovitch cycle]] (which drives [[Glacial period\|glacials]] and [[interglacial]]s) also affect the pattern of deserts on Earth.

	=== Woody plant encroachment ===		=== Woody plant encroachment ===
	{{Main article\|Woody plant encroachment}}		{{Main article\|Woody plant encroachment}}

	Xeric shrublands can experience woody plant encroachment, which is the thickening of bushes and shrubs at the expense of grasses.<ref>{{Cite journal\|~~last~~=Eldridge\|~~first~~=David J.\|last2=Bowker\|first2=Matthew A.\|last3=Maestre\|first3=Fernando T.\|last4=Roger\|first4=Erin\|last5=Reynolds\|first5=James F.\|last6=Whitford\|first6=Walter G.\|date=July 2011\|title=Impacts of shrub encroachment on ecosystem structure and functioning: towards a global synthesis: Synthesizing shrub encroachment effects~~\|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01630.x~~\|journal=Ecology Letters\|language=en\|volume=14\|issue=7\|pages=709–722\|doi=10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01630.x\|pmc=3563963\|pmid=21592276}}</ref> This process is often caused by unsustainable land management practices, such as overgrazing and fire suppression, but also a consequence of climate change. As a result, core [[ecosystem services]] ~~of the shrublands~~ are affected, including its biodiversity, productivity and groundwater recharge.<ref>{{Citation\|~~last~~=Archer\|~~first~~=Steven R.\|title=Woody Plant Encroachment: Causes and Consequences\|date=2017~~\|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2_2~~\|work=Rangeland Systems\|pages=25–84\|editor-last=Briske\|editor-first=David D.\|place=Cham\|publisher=Springer International Publishing\|language=en\|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2_2\|isbn=978-3-319-46707-8~~\|access-date=2021-12-10~~\|last2=Andersen\|first2=Erik M.\|last3=Predick\|first3=Katharine I.\|last4=Schwinning\|first4=Susanne\|last5=Steidl\|first5=Robert J.\|last6=Woods\|first6=Steven R.}}</ref> Woody plant encroachment can be an expression of land degradation.<ref>{{Cite journal\|~~last~~=Schlesinger\|~~first~~=William H.\|last2=Reynolds\|first2=James F.\|last3=Cunningham\|first3=Gary L.\|last4=Huenneke\|first4=Laura F.\|last5=Jarrell\|first5=Wesley M.\|last6=Virginia\|first6=Ross A.\|last7=Whitford\|first7=Walter G.\|date=1990-03-02\|title=Biological Feedbacks in Global Desertification\|url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.247.4946.1043\|journal=Science\|language=en\|volume=247\|issue=4946\|pages=1043–1048\|doi=10.1126/science.247.4946.1043\|issn=0036-8075}}</ref>		Xeric shrublands can experience woody plant encroachment, which is the thickening of bushes and shrubs at the expense of grasses.<ref>{{Cite journal\|last1=Eldridge\|first1=David J.\|last2=Bowker\|first2=Matthew A.\|last3=Maestre\|first3=Fernando T.\|last4=Roger\|first4=Erin\|last5=Reynolds\|first5=James F.\|last6=Whitford\|first6=Walter G.\|date=July 2011\|title=Impacts of shrub encroachment on ecosystem structure and functioning: towards a global synthesis: Synthesizing shrub encroachment effects\|journal=Ecology Letters\|language=en\|volume=14\|issue=7\|pages=709–722\|doi=10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01630.x\|pmc=3563963\|pmid=21592276}}</ref> This process is often caused by unsustainable land management practices, such as overgrazing and fire suppression, but can also be a consequence of [[climate change]]. As a result, the shrublands' core [[ecosystem services]] are affected, including its biodiversity, productivity, and groundwater recharge.<ref>{{Citation\|last1=Archer\|first1=Steven R.\|title=Woody Plant Encroachment: Causes and Consequences\|date=2017\|work=Rangeland Systems\|pages=25–84\|editor-last=Briske\|editor-first=David D.\|place=Cham\|publisher=Springer International Publishing\|language=en\|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2_2\|isbn=978-3-319-46707-8\|last2=Andersen\|first2=Erik M.\|last3=Predick\|first3=Katharine I.\|last4=Schwinning\|first4=Susanne\|last5=Steidl\|first5=Robert J.\|last6=Woods\|first6=Steven R.\|series=Springer Series on Environmental Management \|s2cid=133015720 \|doi-access=free}}</ref> Woody plant encroachment can be an expression of land degradation.<ref>{{Cite journal\|last1=Schlesinger\|first1=William H.\|last2=Reynolds\|first2=James F.\|last3=Cunningham\|first3=Gary L.\|last4=Huenneke\|first4=Laura F.\|last5=Jarrell\|first5=Wesley M.\|last6=Virginia\|first6=Ross A.\|last7=Whitford\|first7=Walter G.\|date=1990-03-02\|title=Biological Feedbacks in Global Desertification\|url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.247.4946.1043\|journal=Science\|language=en\|volume=247\|issue=4946\|pages=1043–1048\|doi=10.1126/science.247.4946.1043\|pmid=17800060 \|bibcode=1990Sci...247.1043S \|s2cid=33033125 \|issn=0036-8075\|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

	==Ecoregions==		==Ecoregions==
	{{see also\|List of desert and xeric shrubland ecoregions}}		{{see also\|List of desert and xeric shrubland ecoregions}}
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	The World Wide Fund for Nature highlights a number of desert [[ecoregion]]s that have a high degree of [[biodiversity]] and [[endemism]]:<ref name=wwf/>		The World Wide Fund for Nature highlights a number of desert [[ecoregion]]s that have a high degree of [[biodiversity]] and [[endemism]]:<ref name=wwf/>
	* The [[Nama Karoo]] of Namibia has the world's richest desert fauna.<ref>{{cite book\|last1=Cowling\|first1=RM\|first2=C\|last2=Hilton-Taylor\|year=1994\|chapter=Patterns of plant diversity and endemism in southern Africa: An overview\|pages=31–52\|editor-first=BJ\|editor-last=Huntley\|title=Botanical diversity in southern Africa\|publisher=National Botanical Institute\|location=Pretoria, South Africa}}</ref>		* The [[Nama Karoo]] of Namibia has the world's richest desert fauna.<ref>{{cite book\|last1=Cowling\|first1=RM\|first2=C\|last2=Hilton-Taylor\|year=1994\|chapter=Patterns of plant diversity and endemism in southern Africa: An overview\|pages=31–52\|editor-first=BJ\|editor-last=Huntley\|title=Botanical diversity in southern Africa\|publisher=National Botanical Institute\|location=Pretoria, South Africa}}</ref>
	* The [[Chihuahuan desert]] and [[Central Mexican matorral]] are the richest deserts in the [[Neotropics]].<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Hernandez\|first1=HM\|first2=RT\|last2= Barcenas\|year=1995\|title=Endangered cacti in the Chihuahuan Desert: I. Distribution patterns\|journal=Conservation Biology\|volume=9\|issue=5\|pages=1176–1188\|doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.9051169.x-i1}}</ref>
	* The [[Carnarvon xeric shrublands]] of Australia are a regional center for endemism.<ref name=wwf/>		* The [[Carnarvon xeric shrublands]] of Australia are a regional center for endemism.<ref name=wwf/>
	* The [[Sonoran Desert\|Sonoran]] and [[Baja California ~~Desert~~\|Baja deserts]] of Mexico are unusual desert communities dominated by giant [[columnar cactus\|columnar cacti]].<ref name=wwf/>		* The [[Chihuahuan desert]] may be the most [[biodiversity\|biodiverse]] desert ecoregion in the world.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Terrestrial ecoregions of North America : a conservation assessment\|year=1999\|last1=Ricketts\|first1=TH\|first2=E\|last2=Dinerstein\|first3=DM\|last3=Olson\|display-authors=et al\|publisher=Island Press\|location=Washington, DC\|isbn=1-55963-722-6\|page=44}}</ref>
			* The [[Sonoran Desert\|Sonoran]] and [[Baja California desert\|Baja deserts]] of Mexico and the United States are unusual desert communities dominated by giant [[columnar cactus\|columnar cacti]].<ref name=wwf/>
	* [[Madagascar spiny forests]]		* [[Madagascar spiny forests]]
	* [[Atacama Desert]]		* [[Atacama Desert]]
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	==See also==		==See also==
	{{div col}}		{{div col}}
	* {{annotated link\|Desert}}
	* {{annotated link\|Hydric soil}}		* {{annotated link\|Hydric soil}}
	* {{annotated link\|Mesic habitat\|Mesic}}		* {{annotated link\|Mesic habitat\|Mesic}}
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	==External links==		==External links==
			{{commons}}
	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120905010259/http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoframe-list.htm Index to Deserts & Xeric Shrublands at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu]		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120905010259/http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoframe-list.htm Index to Deserts & Xeric Shrublands at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu]
	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090129105807/http://www.xericworld.com/forums/ Xeric World] Online community focused on the study of xeric plant species		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090129105807/http://www.xericworld.com/forums/ Xeric World] Online community focused on the study of xeric plant species
			* [https://sand-boarding.com/desert-plants/ Desert Plants: List, Names and Adaptations]

	{{~~Paleartic deserts~~ and xeric ~~shrublands~~}}		{{Palearctic desert and xeric shrubland ecoregions}}
	{{Biomes}}		{{Biomes}}
	{{Biodiversity of South Africa\|ecoreg}}		{{Biodiversity of South Africa\|ecoreg}}

2601:243:1980:2810:5DBD:83CC:3E08:5BA2: robot: Creating new article from Special:WantedPages

2022-03-27T05:45:05Z

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{{short description|Habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature}}
{{redirect|Xeric|the comic book grant foundation|Xeric Foundation}}
[[File:Biome_map_13.svg|thumb|right|250px|Extent of deserts and xeric shrublands]]
'''Deserts and xeric shrublands''' are a [[biome]] defined by the [[World Wide Fund for Nature]].<ref name=wwf>{{CC-notice|bysa3}} {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425205057/http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat13.cfm|archive-date=2012-04-25|url=http://wwf.panda.org:80/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat13.cfm|title=Deserts and Xeric Shrubland Ecoregions|author=World Wide Fund for Nature|access-date=2019-05-29|url-status=live}}</ref> Deserts and xeric (ancient Greek xērós, “dry") shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of [[Earth]]'s land surface area.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lockwood|first=M.|title=Managing Protected Areas: A Global Guide|page=199}}</ref> Ecoregions in this habitat type vary greatly in the amount of annual rainfall they receive, usually less than {{convert|10|in|mm|order=flip}} annually except in the margins. Generally evaporation exceeds rainfall in these ecoregions. Temperature variability is also diverse in these lands. Many deserts, such as the [[Sahara desert|Sahara]], are hot year-round, but others, such as East Asia's [[Gobi desert|Gobi]], become quite cold in winter.<ref name=wwf/>

Temperature extremes are a characteristic of most deserts. High daytime temperatures give way to cold nights because there is no insulation provided by [[humidity]] and cloud cover. The diversity of climatic conditions, though quite harsh, supports a rich array of habitats. Many of these habitats are [[ephemeral]] in nature, reflecting the paucity and seasonality of available water.<ref name=wwf/> Woody-stemmed shrubs and plants characterize vegetation in these regions. Above all, these plants have evolved to minimize water loss. Animal biodiversity is equally well adapted and quite diverse.<ref name=wwf/>

== Degradation ==

===Desertification===
{{Main article|Desertification}}
[[File:Sengi-landscape Nama Karoo.tif|thumb|right|The [[Nama Karoo]] in South Africa is a xeric shrubland that receives between {{convert|100|and|500|mm|in|0}} of rain a year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1314|title=Nama Karoo|publisher=WWF|access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref>]]
The conversion of productive [[drylands]] to desert conditions, known as [[desertification]], can occur from a variety of causes. One is human intervention, including intensive agricultural tillage or [[overgrazing]]<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|first=C. Michael|last=Hogan|year=2009|url=https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Overgrazing|title=Overgrazing|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Earth|editor-first1=Sidney|editor-last1=Draggan|editor-first2=Cutler J.|editor-last2=Cleveland|publisher=National council for Science and the Environment|location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> in areas that cannot support such exploitation. Climatic shifts such as [[global warming]] or the [[Milankovitch cycle]] (which drives [[Glacial period|glacials]] and [[interglacial]]s) also affect the pattern of deserts on Earth.

=== Woody plant encroachment ===
{{Main article|Woody plant encroachment}}

Xeric shrublands can experience woody plant encroachment, which is the thickening of bushes and shrubs at the expense of grasses.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Eldridge|first=David J.|last2=Bowker|first2=Matthew A.|last3=Maestre|first3=Fernando T.|last4=Roger|first4=Erin|last5=Reynolds|first5=James F.|last6=Whitford|first6=Walter G.|date=July 2011|title=Impacts of shrub encroachment on ecosystem structure and functioning: towards a global synthesis: Synthesizing shrub encroachment effects|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01630.x|journal=Ecology Letters|language=en|volume=14|issue=7|pages=709–722|doi=10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01630.x|pmc=3563963|pmid=21592276}}</ref> This process is often caused by unsustainable land management practices, such as overgrazing and fire suppression, but also a consequence of climate change. As a result, core [[ecosystem services]] of the shrublands are affected, including its biodiversity, productivity and groundwater recharge.<ref>{{Citation|last=Archer|first=Steven R.|title=Woody Plant Encroachment: Causes and Consequences|date=2017|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2_2|work=Rangeland Systems|pages=25–84|editor-last=Briske|editor-first=David D.|place=Cham|publisher=Springer International Publishing|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2_2|isbn=978-3-319-46707-8|access-date=2021-12-10|last2=Andersen|first2=Erik M.|last3=Predick|first3=Katharine I.|last4=Schwinning|first4=Susanne|last5=Steidl|first5=Robert J.|last6=Woods|first6=Steven R.}}</ref> Woody plant encroachment can be an expression of land degradation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Schlesinger|first=William H.|last2=Reynolds|first2=James F.|last3=Cunningham|first3=Gary L.|last4=Huenneke|first4=Laura F.|last5=Jarrell|first5=Wesley M.|last6=Virginia|first6=Ross A.|last7=Whitford|first7=Walter G.|date=1990-03-02|title=Biological Feedbacks in Global Desertification|url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.247.4946.1043|journal=Science|language=en|volume=247|issue=4946|pages=1043–1048|doi=10.1126/science.247.4946.1043|issn=0036-8075}}</ref>
==Ecoregions==
{{see also|List of desert and xeric shrubland ecoregions}}

The World Wide Fund for Nature highlights a number of desert [[ecoregion]]s that have a high degree of [[biodiversity]] and [[endemism]]:<ref name=wwf/>
* The [[Nama Karoo]] of Namibia has the world's richest desert fauna.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cowling|first1=RM|first2=C|last2=Hilton-Taylor|year=1994|chapter=Patterns of plant diversity and endemism in southern Africa: An overview|pages=31–52|editor-first=BJ|editor-last=Huntley|title=Botanical diversity in southern Africa|publisher=National Botanical Institute|location=Pretoria, South Africa}}</ref>
* The [[Chihuahuan desert]] and [[Central Mexican matorral]] are the richest deserts in the [[Neotropics]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hernandez|first1=HM|first2=RT|last2= Barcenas|year=1995|title=Endangered cacti in the Chihuahuan Desert: I. Distribution patterns|journal=Conservation Biology|volume=9|issue=5|pages=1176–1188|doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.9051169.x-i1}}</ref>
* The [[Carnarvon xeric shrublands]] of Australia are a regional center for endemism.<ref name=wwf/>
* The [[Sonoran Desert|Sonoran]] and [[Baja California Desert|Baja deserts]] of Mexico are unusual desert communities dominated by giant [[columnar cactus|columnar cacti]].<ref name=wwf/>
* [[Madagascar spiny forests]]
* [[Atacama Desert]]

==See also==
{{div col}}
* {{annotated link|Desert}}
* {{annotated link|Hydric soil}}
* {{annotated link|Mesic habitat|Mesic}}
* {{annotated link|Rain shadow}}
* {{annotated link|Sagebrush steppe}}
* {{annotated link|Shrub-steppe}}
* {{annotated link|Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands}}
* [[Xeriscaping]] — gardening or landscaping in xeric environments
* [[Xerocole]]s — animals adapted to xeric environments
* [[Xerophyte]]s — plants adapted to xeric environments
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120905010259/http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoframe-list.htm Index to Deserts & Xeric Shrublands at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090129105807/http://www.xericworld.com/forums/ Xeric World] Online community focused on the study of xeric plant species

{{Paleartic deserts and xeric shrublands}}
{{Biomes}}
{{Biodiversity of South Africa|ecoreg}}

[[Category:Deserts and xeric shrublands| ]]
[[Category:Terrestrial biomes]]
[[Category:Flora of the California desert regions]]
[[Category:North American desert flora| ]]