system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why are the Great Basin, Mohave and Sonoran Deserts considered distinct?

Looking at a map, these three deserts look like they are right next to each other.  Why wouldn't they be known as one big desert?
gpt
Mostly because of distinct plant life and weather. In the Sonoran desert you have several varieties of cacti that are not present in either the Mojave or Great Basin desert. The Sonoran also has two rainy seasons, summer monsoon and winter rains while the other do not. Also separting the Mojave and Great Basin is temperature. The Great Basin is considered a cold desert, whereas Mojave is a warm desert. There are also varieties of plant life, such as Joshua Trees which are plentiful in the Mojave but rarely occur in the Great Basin. Even though they are close different weather patterns cause a division of plant life in them and separate them.