Single feline returned by morning to open area of desert (7)
I believe the answer is:
atacama
'desert' is the definition.
(Atacama Desert is an example)
'single feline returned by morning' is the wordplay.
'single' becomes 'a'.
'feline' becomes 'cat' (cat is a kind of feline).
'returned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'by morning' becomes 'ama' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'cat' back-to-front is 'tac'.
'a'+'tac'+'ama'='ATACAMA'
'to open area of' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for atacama that I've seen before include "South American desert" , "Chilean desert" , "lot of empty space" .)