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♤ Severe arid conditions - Dry Atmosphere
♤ Temperature less than 0°C for most of the period, drops to -50°C during winter.
♤ insignificant monsoon - Mean annual rainfall less than 400mm
♤ Heavy snowfall occurs between November and march.
♤ Soil type - sandy to sandy loam
♤ Soil pH - neutral to slight alkaline.
♤ Soil nutrient - Poor organic matter content
♤ Soil has low water retention capacity.
♤ Wind erosion is more common.
♤ Narrow growing period, mostly during the summer.
♤ Due to aforesaid extreme cold conditions, growth of vegetation is slow and of slunted nature.
Bio-diversity
♤ Cold desert is the home of highly adaptive, rare endangered fauna, such as Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan Argali, Ladakh Uriyal, Bharal, Tibetan Antelope (chiru), Tibetan Gazelle, Wild Yak, Snow Leopard, Brown Bear, Tibetan Wolf, Wild Dog and Tibetan Wild Ass (‘Kiang’ a close relative of the Indian wild ass) , Woolly hare, Black Necked Crane, etc.
♤ Cold desert comprises of alpine mesophytes and desert vegetation.
♤ Dry temperature zone: Betula, Salix, Juniperus.
♤ Alphine zone: Junipers, Birch, Rhododendron with grasses.
♤ Perpetual snow zone: No vegetation due to permanently frozen soil.
♤ Oak, pine, deodar, birch and rhododendron are the important trees.