Deserts and xeric shrublands is a biome characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture.^[1]

Definition and occurrence[link]

Deserts and xeric shrublands receive an annual average rainfall of ten inches or less, and have an arid or hyperarid climate, characterized by a strong moisture deficit, where annual potential loss of moisture from evapotranspiration well exceeds the moisture received as rainfall. Deserts and xeric shrublands occur in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climate regions. Desert soils tend to be sandy or rocky, and low in organic materials. Saline or alkaline soils are common. Plants and animals in deserts and xeric shrublands are adapted to low moisture conditions. Hyperarid regions are mostly devoid of vegetation and animal life, and include rocky deserts and sand dunes. Vegetation in arid climate regions can include sparse grasslands, shrublands, and woodlands. Plants adapted to arid climates are called xerophytes, and include succulent plants, geophytes, sclerophyll, and annual plants. Animals, including insects, reptiles, arachnids, birds and mammals, are frequently nocturnal to avoid moisture loss.

In isolation, Hawai'i's Silverswords have adapted to xeric microclimates within volcanic craters, trapping and channeling dew and protecting leaves with reflective hairs.

Desertification[link]

The conversion of productive drylands to desert conditions is known as desertification, and can occur from a variety of causes. One factor is human intervention in imposing intensive agricultural tillage or overgrazing^[2] in areas which cannot support such exploitation. Climatic shifts such as global warming or the Milankovitch cycle (which drives glacials and interglacials) also affect the pattern of deserts on Earth.

See also[link]

• Desert
• Shrub-steppe
• Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
• Sagebrush steppe
• Mesic
• Hydric

Desert and xeric shrublands ecoregions[link]

• this is because it gets only ten inches of precipitation a year

References[link]

External links[link]

• Deserts and xeric shrublands (World Wildlife Fund)
• Map of the ecozones^{[dead link]}
• Index to Deserts & Xeric Shrublands at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
• Xeric World Online Community focused on the study of Xeric Plant Species.

Dream Team in sport, often only as a nickname, may refer to:

• The roster of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team in Barcelona
• Brazil men's national volleyball team under coach Bernardo Rezende since 2002
• FIFA Dream Team, an all-time all-star football team published by FIFA in 2004
• The Puerto Rico national baseball team in the 1995 Caribbean Series
• An era (1991–1994), in the history of FC Barcelona, a Spanish football club
• The Philippines national basketball team in the 1990 Asian Games
• The Dream Team (professional wrestling), professional wrestling tag-team in the World Wrestling Federation 1985–1987
• Dramatic Dream Team, Japanese professional wrestling promotion
• Super League Dream Team, award for players in the European rugby Super League
• Dream Team Australian rules football team, that represented the States and territories of Australia other than Victoria in the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match
• AFL Dream Team, a notable online competition for supporters run by the Australian Football League

Dream Team in television and film may refer to:

• Dream Team (TV series), a British television series
• The Dream Team (film), a 1989 American comedy film
• Dream Team (The Office) an episode of the American television series The Office
• The Dream Team (Entourage Episode), an episode of Entourage
• Let's Go Dream Team! Season 2, a Korean television series

Dream Team may also refer to:

• Dream Team (theater), a Stage Management Team located in Terre Haute, IN that worked on shows including Real Girls Can't Win, 1,001 Arabian Nights, and Bad Dates
• Dream Team (comics), a fictional group of Marvel Comics superheroes
• The Dream Team (warez), a cracking/releasing warez group for the IBM PC active 1989–1996
• LA Dream Team, American hip-hop act
• Nickname for the defense legal team in the O. J. Simpson murder case

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