Well.... I'm interested. 
Would this team be made up if military? Or a mix of civilian and military? 
If so then count me in. I'd prefer a desert setting to be honest.

You could alwaus make the planet divided into three seperate eco zones.

Around the equator can be a tropic belt of paradise, but futher north or soutv it becomes a desolate wasteland desert that will range from flat salt lands/sand dunes to ridges and high desert mountain ranges- and move even further north/south nearing the poles(reference Canada) can be the start of tundras...or something i dunnon