First a definition; a desert is an area where the average evaporation rate is higher than the rate of precipitation (rainfall), this means that you have hot deserts (like the Sahara) and cold deserts (like Antarctica where no plant life exists and the Arctic Desert where limited plant life exists).
Normally people associate cacti with deserts, these are however just one group of desert dwelling plants.
Plants which are found in hot deserts vary, as do the specific environments of specific deserts - Example, plants found in the Sahara Desert are not the same as what you would find in the Australian Outback or in the Arizona Desert. They are on different continents and the indigenous plant species within those regions have adapted to allow them to grow in these regions.
Desert plants are grouped as:
Ephemeral Annuals - They are referred to as drought escaping plants or drought evaders e.g. cassia, Argemone etc.
Succulents - fleshy xerophytes which accumulate large amount of water. Common in desert or dry places and are known as drought avoiding plants e.g. Opuntia, Agave, Euphorbia, Asparagus etc.
Non-Succulents - These plants are true xerophytes and are drought resistant e.g. Capparis, Zyzyphus. A Xerophytic plant is one which lives with very little water, or in an area that has an arid climate.
Other examples of desert dwelling plants include (not specific to any location or desert):
Acacia species (mainly trees and small shrubs)
Agave species (fleshy succulents)
Atriplex species (the Salt bush, small hardy shrub)
Calligonum crinitum
Cornulaca arabica (saltbush)
Cyperus conglomeratus
Dipterygium glaucum
Larrea tridentata
Limeum arabicum
Parkinsonia aculeate (hardy shrub or small tree)
Prosopis cinera (Ghaf, hardy tree)
Prosopis juliflora (Mesquite, hardy tree)
Protoasparagus (hardy groundcover)
Sansevieria (fleshy groundcovers)
Welwitchia mirabillas (hardy slow growing shrub)
Yucca species
Ziziphus (hardy tree)
Zygophyllum mandavillei
Cacti (generic term)
Cereus peruvianus (spiny succulent)
Echinocactus (Barrel Cactus, spiny succulent)
Euphorbia species (spiny succulent)
Opuntia species (spiny succulent)
Palms (generic term)
Chamaerops humilis (hardy palm)
Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm)
Sabal palmetto (hardy palm)
Washingtonia robusta
Yes, desert plants carry out photosynthesis.
Some examples of a desert producer would be cacti, shrubs and desert grass.
Any animal found in a desert is a consumer. Only plants are classified as producers. Some animals eat plants, other animals eat animals that eat plants. Plants are the basis for any food chain.
Yes, grubs could potentially kill desert plants.
Technically, all of the animals compete for resources as they are all limited. Exspecially for water, camels, desert eagles, barn owls, all of the different kinds of goats, rats, they all compete for water.
The biggest abiotic factor that affects all desert plants is temperature. This heat makes life for all desert plants very difficult.
Saguaro cactus, sagebrush, creosote, and mesquite. All of which are types of plants in the desert and are considered producers.
All the plants in a desert are producers, especially grasses.
All plants are producers and the only producers in a desert.
All plants and animals of the desert are part of the biomass of the desert.
Yes, desert plants carry out photosynthesis.
Yes.
Any plant, and only plants, are the producers in a desert.Any plant, and only plants, are the producers in a desert.
All plants are the primary producers in the desert or any biome.
All the plants in a desert are producers. Grasses are probably the most notable.
Plants are the producers in the desert. They form the basis for all food chains. Plants also provide shade and shelter to many animals.
All the mainland states have deserts, and all have native plants. Tasmania has no deserts, so logically it has no native desert plants. However it may have plants, also found in deserts.