Most cold deserts have very low atmospheric humidity year-round, which wicks moisture away from plants and animals. They tend to have shallow sandy, rocky or frozen soil that does not hold significant amounts of liquid water. Distance from moisture-laden coastal winds or proximity to tall, cloud-blocking mountains causes the low humidity. Cold desert plants and animals are physically and behaviorally adapted to conserve moisture. Temperate Regions. Temperate cold deserts include Asia's Gobi, North America's Great Basin and South America's Atacama deserts. They also cover much of Iran, Turkestan, southwestern Africa and western China. Their plants include grasses, sagebrush, aloes, cacti, lichens and drought-resistant shrubs and trees like greasewood, saxaul, pistachio, tamaruga and camel's thorn.