The Sonoran desert is located in Arizona, California, and Mexico. It is known for being incredibly biodiverse. In fact, it's the most biodiverse desert in the world. It's also known for being the scenery of the wild west from the 1700s to the 1800s.

The Sonoran desert is over 100,000 square miles. It is a wildly diverse and beautiful landscape. The desert's most dense regions are located in Northern Mexico. Rainy seasons include the summer and the winter with a dry climate most of the time.

Farming-When it rains, it pours. The Sonoran desert, specifically in Arizona, is especially great for crops such as cotton, chiles, cacti, or palms.

Plants-The Sonoran desert is home to over 2000 kinds of plants. This includes the iconic saguaro cactus, the palo verde, and the barrel cactus.

Saguaro cactus-Saguaro Cactus are tree-like cacti. They can live over one hundred and fifty years and grow over 70 feet tall. They are known to bloom in the moonlight. They store water during drought periods. This adaptation allows them to survive in such harsh climates. They are native only to the Sonoran desert and have become somewhat of a symbol for Arizona and Mexico. Adult Saguaro cactus roots typically reach thirty feet below ground. They produce stunning white flowers, which are the state flower of Arizona.

Palo verde- The palo verde is known for its green bark. They can reach about twenty feet in height. They grow pods that come in one to eight seed sizes. These trees are known to live for over one hundred years. The oldest tree is known to be over four hundred years old! If the palo verde is blue in color, they grow faster and die sooner. The blue-in-color Palo Verdes die under 100 years. Yet, they are a key factor in the landscape of the Sonoran desert because they provide shade and nutrients to the surrounding plants and animals.

Barrel Cactus- The barrel cactus is a round, small cactus that is native to this region. It is typically around two point two five feet tall at maturity. Its spines are hooked in shape. It is iconic in the Sonoran desert.

Agave-The Agave plant is native to the Americas. During the 16th century, it was introduced into southern Europe. While it grows in several parts of South America, it is most dominant in North America. It has green leaves and spiky palms. The agave plant is known for its medicinal purposes. Dating back to the original Native American tribes, It has been used to treat small wounds to help speed up the healing of small cuts. It is also a key ingredient in Tequila, which is the only known non-drowsy alcohol.

Animals-This desert is home to a uniquely wide variety of species of animals. This includes 350 species of bird, over 100 reptiles, and 60 species of mammals, let alone hundreds of types of bugs. These animals have adapted to live in such a harsh environment where they can reach temperatures upwards of one hundred and twenty degrees. This landscape is iconic for its wild coyotes, roadrunners, and scorpions. It is teeming with life anywhere you look, thanks to its abundant washes and rivers.

Mexican gray wolf- The Mexican Gay wolf is an endangered species of canine

Scorpions- Scorpions are predatory bugs. They have eight legs, two pinchers, and a stinger (tail). They have been around for at least four hundred and thirty-five million years. They live mainly in desert lands but they have also adapted to live in extremely cold conditions too, like Antarctica. Scorpions have a large family with over 2500 species of scorpion found all over the world. In the Americas, they are most abundantly found in the Sonoran desert.

Gila Monster- The Gila monster is a predatory beast. It is a venomous lizard native to the Sonoran desert. It can grow up to twenty-two inches long, It is a primary consumer that eats mainly bugs and rats.

Coyote- Coyotes are in the canine family. They are native to North America and are similar to the wolf, only smaller. Coyotes are predatory animals, feeding on smaller mammals. The Sonoran desert is home to many coyotes.

Roadrunner- Roadrunners are known for their speed and agility. They have a unique look to them which makes them very easy to spot. They can be found all over the Sonoran desert.

Turkey Vulture-The turkey vulture hunts small rodents and roadkill.

Rattlesnake- the rattlesnake is a predatory venomous snake that is native to the Sonoran desert. Its venom is incredibly powerful and is known to stun or even kill its host.

Native American Tribes-Native tribes include the Cocopah. Seri, Gila River INdian community and the Pascua Yaqui.

How do human activities impact this ecosystem?-Human civilizations have certainly made their pocket in the Sonoran desert. They have carved out highways, large cities as well as beach towns alike (In Mexico). Otherwise, the Sonoran desert is largely untouched, staying ever stable, wild, and beautiful. It is truly a peaceful, magical place.