Climate Change and Its Effects on

Wildlife in American Deserts

Riley Hood

World Wildlife Fund™

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Contents
Abstract 2

Climate Change and its Effects on American Desert Wildlife 2

Overview 2

Effects on Plants 3

Effects on Animals 4

Saving Our Deserts Through Conservation and Responsibility 5

Combatting Climate Change 5

Emphasizing Desert Conservation 5

Results of Our Work 6

How Combatting Climate Change Benefits Desert Wildlife 6

How Desert Conservation Benefits Desert Wildlife 6

Conclusion 7

References 8

Figures
Figure 1 2

Figure 2 3

Figure 3 3

Figure 4 4

Figure 5 4
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Abstract
When the average American thinks of a desert, they probably picture an empty, inhospitable
stretch of sand. However, plants and animals have been adapting and thriving in desert habitats
for millions of years. In fact, many desert organisms are among the oldest organisms on Earth.
With climate change causing global increases in temperature, animals accustomed to surviving
in a harsh, arid environment are an afterthought for most people. Contrary to popular belief,
desert wildlife is just as susceptible to global warming as wildlife in other habitats. Despite the
resilience of wildlife in the desert, small changes in temperature can be devastating for some
species. Studies suggest that desert areas are warming at a quicker rate than other biomes and
will likely become even more arid. If nothing is done, the plants and animals populating
America’s deserts will face even harsher conditions, resulting in habitat loss and possibly even
extinction. Americans must work together to limit Climate Change by reducing emissions,
saving energy, and investing in renewables. In addition, desert conservation must be made a
higher priority.

Climate Change and Its Effects on American Desert Wildlife

Overview

As the globe has been warming at an average of about 0.8 °F per decade, desert temperatures
have been increasing at a rate of up to 1.44 °F. According to the Independent, “The UNEP
investigation found that climate change over the past 25 years has caused temperatures to rise
faster than the global average in nine out of 12 major deserts studied” (Connor, 2006). Deserts,
which make up a fourth of the land surface on Earth, are becoming hotter and more arid as
climate change continues. In combination with the threat of human exploitation, our deserts
and the organisms that inhabit them are in danger. This is supported in Desert, which states,
“As we have seen, plants and animals have evolved particular adaptation that allow them to
survive in these hostile environments but, faced with further increases in aridity at higher
temperatures, they have no fallback position and will become extinct” (Hayes, 177). Figure 1
below is a United States map depicting the Water Supply Sustainability Risk Index in 2050. The
majority of arid desert areas are highlighted as being at extreme risk, exhibiting the aridity that
these areas will likely face.

Figure 1: A Water Supply Sustainability Risk

Index map of the United States
(“Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem
Services”, 2014)
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Effects on Plants

The most iconic example of a desert plant has to be the cactus. Cacti have adapted to thrive in
the desert by using a long stem to get water from deep in the ground and are covered in spines
that help protect them and retain water. However, even the most well adapted desert plants
are not safe from climate change. Studies have shown that dwarf succulents in Africa could
completely disappear within 50 years, which could mean danger for succulents and cacti in
America because of their similar adaptations. Lack of water is already decreasing the size and
amount of shrubbery in the Sonoran Desert. There are even more plants that could suffer, as
“Joshua Tree National Park could lose up to 90 percent of its eponymous trees if already-
sweltering July temperatures rise by another three degrees [Celsius]“ (McDermott, 2016). The
Joshua Tree, a plant species that has existed for about 2.5 million years, is now at risk of
becoming extinct. Between increasing temperatures and wildfires, these trees are being
decimated. Figures 2 and 3 depict Joshua Trees before and after a wildfire. Wildfires have
worsened greatly as the effects of climate change have become more apparent. Global
warming can cause desert plants, especially grasses, to dry out. Not only can this increase the
risk of wildfires, but it can also result in the death of the plants.

Figure 2: A lone Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert Figure 3: Joshua Trees burnt in the aftermath of a wildfire
(Schipani, 2017) (“Post-Wildfire Scene”, 2014)

Nitrogen is a key element of photosynthesis, which means that it is vital to plant growth.
Unfortunately, increased heat causes Nitrogen to exit soil in the form of a gas. The hotter the
climate becomes; the more nitrogen can escape from desert soils. According to Futurity, this
“would make arid soils even more infertile and unable to support most plant life” (Warming
Planet Threatens Desert Plants, 2010). Plant life is crucial in the desert because they provide a
source of water and food for many animals. If desert soils become even more infertile, the
desolate, empty desert connotation could change from a misconception to a reality.
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Effects on Animals

Deserts are home to some of the most well adapted animals on the planet. To avoid the heat,
some animals, especially birds, migrate to cooler locations. Others stay in the shade during the
heat of the day, or are nocturnal or crepuscular, only coming out for the cooler nights. Smaller
animals often burrow under the sand to evade the scorching surface. Many desert creatures
have adapted abnormally long body parts which help them release heat, such as a jackrabbit’s
ears. Despite the lack of water, desert animals manage to find it in plants, in the ground, or in
their prey. A few animals, like the kangaroo rat, are so well adapted that they hardly need
water at all (DesertUSA, 2019).

Although creatures of the desert have adapted well to harsh conditions, these conditions
appear to be more fragile than previously thought. Relatively minor changes in temperature
can have drastic outcomes for these desert animals. Rising temperatures in American deserts
will force some animals to migrate to cooler regions. Certain species have already been
recorded outside of their usual habitat, like the elegant trogon, a tropical bird seen in Figure 5.
The elegant trogon has been seen nesting “several hundred miles north of the previously
documented distribution…It is believed that milder winter and spring seasons linked to climate
change may have permitted an extension of this species north” (National Park Service,
2010). Migration is typical behavior for birds, of course, but going several hundred miles farther
than usual is not, and this implicates that other birds will soon follow suit. Heat waves that
arrive before birds migrate could kill thousands at a time. Within the next 50 years, half of the
birds and mammals in the Chihuahua Desert are expected to be replaced by different species
(Connor, 2006). For other animals, such as the desert tortoise in Figure 4, migration is much less
of an option. According to the Atlantic, “In California’s Mojave and Sonoran deserts, tortoises
and chuckwallas [a large lizard, similar to an iguana] are already losing habitat, which could
constrict by up to 88 percent if temperatures rise by two degrees [Celsius]” (McDermott, 2016).
Since tortoises and chuckwallas are both sedentary reptiles, they are in particular danger of the
increasing heat, as they lack the mobility to migrate. Instead, these reptiles will be forced into
increasingly smaller habitats, which could eventually lead to their extinction.

Figure 4: A Sonoran Desert Tortoise on the prowl Figure 5: An Elegant Trogon perched on a tree
(“Home”, 2019) (“Male Elegant Trogon I”, 2014)
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Beyond higher temperatures, there is the accompanying danger of drought. All animals need
water, even species that have adapted to live in the dry desert. During a drought in California,
several water sources crucial to the survival of unique species in the Mojave Desert began to
dry up, putting the species in jeopardy. The Shoshone pupfish, for example, inhabits small
marshes dispersed throughout the Mojave and is losing habitat as the marshes disappear.
Another is the Amargosa vole, which relies on aquifers for water (Worland, 2015). There are
now only five hundred Amargosa voles left in the wild. Already endangered desert animals are
feeling the adverse effects of Climate Change and could go extinct in the near future if nothing
is done.

Saving Our Deserts Through Conservation and Responsibility

Combatting Climate Change

Similarly to the way desert wildlife has adapted to their habitat, humans need to adapt to
combat climate change. Since climate change is global, there is no isolated way to help the
deserts. Therefore, the only way to help the deserts is to help the Earth. Switching to
renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, is a vital objective to lessen
the amount of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. About half of the USA’s greenhouse
gas emissions come from Industry and Electricity Production, and most of those emissions are
the result of burning fossil fuels. The nation gets eighty percent of its energy from fossil fuels,
with renewable energy accounting for a mere eleven percent. Our goal as Americans should be
to greatly increase the share of renewable energy, while shifting away from fossil fuels.

Electric cars with zero emissions are also important to American growth towards a greener
country. Transportation accounts for twenty-nine percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the
US. Pushing for the end of gasoline vehicles and moving to all electric cars is the reasonable
course of action. Other more current options include riding a bike or using public transit instead
of driving.

Overall, the nation needs to adopt more environmentally conscious policies. The current
administration ignores the problem completely, and even worsens it by approving activities
that increase the amount of emissions. Awareness is a big aspect of climate change, and it is
important that everyone understands how global warming works, and that it is a real threat.

Emphasizing Desert Conservation

While most Americans are now aware of the looming threat of Climate Change, the effects on
desert wildlife are overlooked. It is urgent that it becomes a higher priority to conserve our
deserts. Andrew Warren, a professor of geography at University College London, says, "We risk
losing not only astounding landscapes and ancient cultures, but also some amazing wild
species, which, may hold some keys to our survival" (Connor, 2006). Much is already being done
to conserve deserts, but it is not enough. Twenty-five million acres of land in California, called
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the California Desert Conservation Area, is protected desert land and home to numerous
endangered species. However, some destructive human activities are still being allowed in the
area, which is unacceptable. Reducing the amount of harmful human activity that is allowed to
go on in conservation areas is a necessary measure to sustain our deserts. While some wildfires
occur naturally, the vast majority are caused by human error. Another issue of human activity is
the use of off-road vehicles, which causes habitat damage. In addition, there have been
controversies with hunting and mining operations in conservation areas (“California Desert
Conservation Area”, 2019). These examples are indicative of the human exploitation that is
happening in all deserts. Many of these harmful activities were only allowed due to the poor
decision making of the Bureau of Land Management in California. One of the best ways to
establish a bright future for our deserts is to fight back against corrupt management of
protected lands. The Bureau of Land Management is entrusted with protecting this area but
makes plans with the opposite effect. If they continue to be ineffective, a change in leadership
may be necessary. It would also be beneficial to convince our lawmakers to support desert
conservation, as many politicians are unaware of the problems our deserts face.

There are many desert species on the verge of extinction that possibly will only survive through
human intervention. An example is Cameron Barrows, who studies desert reptiles, “By tracking
the effects of climate change now, and its predicted impacts in the future, Barrows hopes to
find oases in the desert...he can see patterns of change across the landscape, and pockets of
relative stability. Those pockets are key to sustained conservation in the park, because they are
the places where species will hold out, ‘even if climate change gets really bad’” (McDermott,
2016). This shows the work that is already being done to lessen the effects climate change has
on these animals. There is still much work to be done, however, and there may come a time in
the near future when certain species have to be relocated to new habitats in order to save
them from extinction.

Results of Our Work

How Combatting Climate Change Benefits Desert Wildlife

With the cooperation of Americans and the rest of the world, we can reduce greenhouse
emissions and slow down global warming. It is scientifically proven that greenhouse gases
warm the Earth, and certain activities emit these gases. Diminishing or completely stopping
activities that emit gases will help prevent many species of desert plants and animals from
losing habitats or reaching extinction. With global warming slowed down, the temperatures will
not be as hot and the chances of drought will decrease, making the Earth safer for us and the
creatures of the desert.

How Desert Conservation Benefits Desert Wildlife

Conserving deserts will reduce the human impact on them and help ensure that the habitats of
desert animals are maintained. Cracking down on human activities that are harmful to animal
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habitats, such as starting fires, riding off-road vehicles, and mining, will aid in the protection of
endangered species. Giving control of conservation areas to those who genuinely care about
the wildlife in them will prevent corrupt decisions that allow humans to destroy habitat.
Conservation will also allow us to monitor endangered animals in order to determine what
actions must be taken to further their survival.

Conclusion
Numerous desert-dwelling plant and animal species are estimated to lose the majority of their
population or go extinct within the next fifty years. The average American life expectancy is
about 79 years, meaning that most Americans under 30 will be alive in 50 years. Of the United
States population, 24 percent is under 18, 9 percent is 18 to 25, and 12 percent is 26 to 34
(“Population Distribution by Age”, 2018). Therefore, nearly 40 percent of Americans alive today
will have to witness the extinction of many unique species if nothing is done to save them.
Organisms like the Joshua Tree have adapted and survived for millions of years in one of the
harshest environments on Earth but are now in danger of being eradicated because of
manmade problems. It is absolutely crucial that we act now, and work to conserve deserts and
combat climate change before it is too late.
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References
Bernstein, Jules. “Joshua Trees Facing Extinction.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 16 July 2019,
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190716073719.htm.

“California Desert Conservation Area.” California Desert Conservation Area,

www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/deserts/california_desert_conserva
tion_area/index.html

“Male Elegant Trogon I.” Flickr, 21 Mar. 2014,

www.flickr.com/photos/8425606@N04/13301241953.

“Climate Change in the Sonoran Desert (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service,
U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/articles/climate-change-in-the-sonoran-
desert.htm.

Connor, Steve. “Desert Life Threatened by Climate Change and Human Exploitation.” The
Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 22 Oct. 2011,
www.independent.co.uk/environment/desert-life-threatened-by-climate-change-and-
human-exploitation-481116.html.

DesertUSA.com. “Desert Animal Survival.” DesertUSA, www.desertusa.com/survive.html.

“Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services.” National Climate Assessment,

Globalchange.gov, nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/ecosystems.

Haynes, Roslynn D. Desert. Reaktion Books, 2013.

“Home.” Desert Tortoise Council, deserttortoise.org/.

Kazmeyer, Milton. “What Ecological Problems and Hazards Face the Desert?” Education, 21
Nov. 2017, education.seattlepi.com/ecological-problems-hazards-face-desert-
4809.html.

McDermott, Amy. “Climate Change May Be as Hard on Lizards as on Polar Bears.” The Atlantic,
Atlantic Media Company, 23 May 2016,
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“Mojave Desert.” Mojave Desert,

www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/deserts/mojave_desert/index.html.

“Population Distribution by Age.” The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 29 Nov. 2018,
www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/distribution-by-age/.
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“Post-Wildfire Scene.” Flickr, National Parks Service, 20 May 2014,

www.flickr.com/photos/joshuatreenp/14045908219.

Schipani, Sam. “How a Tree and Its Moth Shaped the Mojave Desert.” Smithsonian.com,
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tree-and-its-moth-shaped-mojave-desert-180964452/.

“Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 29 Apr. 2019,
www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions.

“U.S. Renewable Energy Factsheet.” U.S. Renewable Energy Factsheet | Center for Sustainable
Systems, css.umich.edu/factsheets/us-renewable-energy-factsheet.

“Warming Planet Threatens Desert Plants.” Futurity, 5 Nov. 2010, www.futurity.org/warming-

planet-threatens-desert-plants/.

“We Are WWF.” WWF, WWF, 6 Apr. 2017, www.wwf.org.uk/.

Worland, Justin. “California Drought: Forest and Desert Wildlife Hurt.” Time, Time, 1 June 2015,
time.com/3901467/california-drought-wildlife/.