What is a key characteristic of desert biomes?

Desert biomes are primarily defined by their extreme temperature variations, which are a key characteristic of these environments. Deserts experience significant differences in temperature between day and night, largely due to the lack of cloud cover and moisture in the air. During the day, temperatures can soar to very high levels, while at night, they can plummet dramatically since the ground loses heat quickly without the insulating effect of vegetation and humidity.

This temperature fluctuation is crucial for understanding the adaptations of organisms that inhabit desert regions, as they must cope with both intense heat during the day and cool temperatures at night. In contrast, the other characteristics such as high levels of precipitation, dense vegetation, and rich biodiversity do not typically apply to desert biomes, making the recognition of extreme temperature variations essential for identifying and studying these ecosystems.