Vivid footage of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts reveals climate, soils, plants, and animals. Special attention is paid to the adaptations of some desert organisms, which allow them to live in this harsh biome. The climate, plants, and animals of the tundra, or "cold desert" are also discussed. Other terminology includes: Chihuahuan, Sahara, arid, saguaro cactus, permafrost, arctic tundra, alpine tundra, caribou, and ptarmigan.

Originally released by Visual Learning, 2002. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on April 18, 2015. Teacher's guide available under Additional info tag.

Geography of Deserts (2:07); --Desert Climate (1:35); -- Desert Soils (0:53); -- Desert Plants (2:30); -- Desert Animals (1:36); -- Desert Reptiles and Invertebrates (1:35); -- The Tundra (1:44); -- Tundra Plants and Animals (2:05); -- Summing Up (0:59); -- Video Quiz Follows (3:00); -- Credits: Deserts and the Tundra (0:52); .