How can desert plants and animals live?

Answer 1

Plants:

Many desert plants (or those that are adapted to growing in arid environments) have shallow root systems, this enables them to trap and collect even the smallest amount of rain that falls (or even dew that forms on the leaves or ground).

They have "reduced" leaves, meaning that they have smaller leaves or even modified leaves (such as cactus spines). Leaf colour is generally light/ pale green, grey or silver to reflect as much sunlight as possible. Some leave are covered with small hairs which also reflect light. Stoma (pores on the underside of the leaves for respiration) are reduced in size and number. Additionally leaves have a "waxy" cuticle to protect the upper surface of the leaf from dessication. These adaptations assist the plant in reducing transpiration.

They may have modified leaves, stems or roots in order to store water - cactus stems and leaves, storage roots of the Protoasparagus plant etc.

Animals:

Many desert animals are nocturnal, only coming out to eat and hunt at night, during the day they will stay in crevasses or burrows out of the direct sunlight.

Some have large ears which help to regulate body heat (think of them like giant car radiators), these adaptations also help them to locate prey in low light.

Answer 2

Plants and animals in the desert have special features which help them to survive the harsh and dry conditions of the desert.

They may have certain adaptations such as for plants- long roots which can go deep/over a long distance so more likely to find water. Also, may have a fleshy stem in which they can store water. A waxy outer layer to reduce water loss and/ or hairs/spikes to try and trap water.

Animals may have long Loop of Henles in their kidneys to conserve water.

For e.g. the cactus plant has long roots which can go deep into the sand in search of water. The stomata of the cactus closes during the day and opens in the night to prevent water loss. There are many such features which a cactus plant is acquired with to help it survive such as: instead of it's leaves, a cactus' stem is actually very fleshy and the main organ which photosynthesises. the thorns are also a mechanism which reduces surface area to prevent water loss.

An example of an animal is the camel. A camel has broad feet which help it to walk on sand. It also has long eyelashes to prevent sand and dust entering it's eyes during storms and strong winds. The camels humps can store fat and they live off from this fat when food and water are scarce.

There are many other plants and animals which have special features that help them to survive in the winter.

Answer 3

Plants and animals that live in the desert are very efficient in the way that they use water. No species can survive without water, but most deserts do have some amount of water, they just have much less than the usual, non-desert regions have. If a desert has no water at all, then nothing can live there.

Answer 4

Most desert plants survive in the desert by storing water in their cells. An example would be the cactus.

Answer 5

no,there is no water animals because there is no water in the desert beside the ground. way below the dirt.

Answer 6

the green tube things carry up water and spread it to the other parts of the plant and takes very little water

Answer 7

They survive in the desert because they adapt to the environment and are made to live in the desert.

Answer 8

Nothing can survive without water in the desert. However, many organisms have adaptations that allow them to obtain water from the food they eat and do not need drinking water.

Answer 9

Plants are at the bottom of the food chain. Many animals eat plants and other animals eat the animals that eat the plants. Without plants, the food chain would collapse.