Fungi survive in deserts: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22062025/sonoran-desert-s...

The underground in desert regions can be much more humid and hospitable than the surface.

Well South Sudan as highlighted has 8, and thats basically a desert. Tibetan plateau is high altitude frozen desert with permafrost in many parts, and its 11.4.

Maybe there is more complexity than meets the first glance.