The diversity of the world’s deserts, in terms of climate and vegetation, means
that each has evolved a different fauna. For example, the near-waterless
Taklimakan supports very little wildlife while, by contrast, deserts such as those
in the American Southwest, with their varied terrain and vegetation, have a
comparatively rich fauna. The deserts of the island continent of Australia
support some of the planet’s most remarkable wildlife, the numerous species of
desert-adapted marsupials.