What are the spines on the cactus and why are they important?

Answer 1

ShelchavCactus spines are actually modified leaves. It helps if you think of cactus as a large stem with leaves (spines). One of the main functions of the spines is fairly obvious, which is to protect cacti from predators such as animals and people. Spines will turn away most animals, but there are a few that are not put off by prickly spines. These animals include javelina, pack rats, desert tortoises and even Desert Bighorn sheep.

Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)

A major function of cactus spines serve to provide protection for the cactus from the sun. At first, it is hard to believe that tiny cactus spines offer any real protection from the intense desert sun. But when you consider that a cactus can have thousands of spines and each spine provides a small amount of shade and multiply that by 1,000 - well it becomes easier to believe that spines really do offer some protection from the sun for the skin of the cactus.

Answer 2

The spines on a cactus are modified leaves that help protect the plant from predators and provide shade by reducing water loss through transpiration. They also help the cactus to regulate its temperature by controlling airflow around the plant.

Answer 3

Because in Deserts they dont have much water, so the cactus leaves are turned into spikes to keep the water in. Also so no animals eat them because if they did lets face it...OUCH!

Answer 4

They are modified into spines because every leaf has stomata (plural of stoma) that are kind of pores which let the plant release extra water but because cacti lives in desert,it needs to store water.If the leaves modify into spines,no extra water will evaporate.It uses it's stem to do the work of leaves that is making chlorophyll without releasing water!

Answer 5

the spines or spikes on a cacti are actually leaves. in order to conserve water, prevent evaporation, and serve as a form of defense the leaves have turn into spikes. instead of in the leaves cacti photosynthesis in the stem and that is why cacti are green

Answer 6

The leaves of cactus are modified to sharp spine to reduce the area of water loss when sweat. They also have other modifications to reduce the loss of water, because in the deserts, is rare to rain.

Answer 7

sometimes it is used to protect itself from predators.

Answer 8

They are very tall and they suck up all the food that it needs.

Answer 9

The spines are their to protect it from being eaten especially in a place where resources are not plentiful. For example some animals will take the water stored within a cactus.

Answer 10

They keep away predators