Survival!

Survival!

Plants and animals living in the desert have adapted or learned ways to survive in their harsh climate. An adaptation is something that makes an organism better suited to its environment.

There are many types of adaptations in the desert ... even people have adapted to living there. This page will look at some of the ways plants and animals survive in the desert. .

Knowing When to Grow
Some plants in the desert survive by knowing when to grow. They stay a seed until the rains come. Once it rains, they grow, flower, and produce more seeds. Once they have produced seeds, they die. The seeds of these plants will stay safe until the next rains come.

Believe it or not, some desert animals do the same thing. Brine Shrimp wait for the rains to come. Then, within 48 hours, they hatch, grow, mate, and lay new eggs. When the temporary lakes evaporate, the eggs remain ... until the next rain.

A desert landscape. Super Succulents
Succulents are desert plants that store water in the fleshy tissues of their stems and leaves. The tissues, called xylem, are covered by a thick, waxy coating. The coating protects the cactus from the burning rays of the sun. It also helps keep the cactus from losing water.

Leaf Help
Most desert plants have small leaves. Green leaves allow the plant to make food from carbon dioxide and water (photosynthesis). While this is necessary, it causes some water to be lost. By growing smaller leaves, the plant can reduce the amount of water it loses to evaporation.

Size isn't the only adaptation for desert leaves. Some desert leaves are covered in short hairs to trap water before it evaporates. Some leaves are leathery. Some leaves have oils to keep water in. Some leaves even have a light color that helps reflect sun away from the plant.

Some desert plants take it one step further. The sharp spines of a cactus are its leaves. There is almost no surface for water loss and they offer protection from other dangers. Some desert plants even shed their leaves when there is no water. And ... some desert plants don't have leaves at all!

The palo verde (PAH lo VER day) tree has an interesting adaptation. The trunk of the palo verde is green. This green bark is able to make food through photosynthesis. So, in dry conditions when there are no leaves on the tree, the palo verde is not without food!

Made for the Shade
Many desert animals stay in the shade and away from the sun. The temperature in shaded areas or underground tunnels is cooler than in the sun!

There are many ways to find shade in the desert. Some animals, like rabbits, mice, and squirrels tunnel underground and spend the hottest part of the day in their burrows. Lizards and insects may find shade under rocks. Some animals, like the sand viper, simply bury themselves with sand.

No matter where they are or how they are found, shaded areas are a must for most desert animals!

Going Underground
As you read above, burrows help keep desert animals cool and out of the blistering hot daytime sun. However, burrows also offer protection when the temperature is quite chilly!

In months where outside temperatures are cold, the air temperature in the burrows underground is warmer than the air temperatures above ground. Staying nestled in their burrows is one way burrowing animals keep safe and warm.

Lights Out
Owls, kangaroo rats, sidewinder snakes, and Fennec foxes are nocturnal animals or night creatures. These animals, and many others, stay burrowed during the heat of the day and venture out to hunt at night after the sun is down.

Flight School
The birds of the desert go about surviving in a different way. Like all desert creatures, they adapt to their surroundings. However, they have an advantage. They can fly.

Desert birds are able to fly in search of water or prey (food). This ability also allows them to stay high in the air where the temperature is not so hot.

From high in the air, birds of the desert can find the prey they need to survive. These desert hunters get all the water they need from the small animals they catch and eat.

Air Conditioning
Many desert animals have bodies that are made to stay cool!

Jackrabbits and other desert animals have large ears. On first glance, you might think this is so they can hear predators and prey. However, these large ears are really for keeping body temperatures cool!

Camels also have a unique cooling system ... long legs. The air temperature is the highest on the ground. Camels have long legs to keep themselves as far from the ground as possible while carrying their heavy loads.

Camels also have a special body temperature adaptation. Their bodies are built so their body temperature can rise without endangering their lives. This keeps them from sweating and losing precious water. At night, their body temperature returns to normal.

Desert Journal #4

Click on the cactus to download your journal page. Print the page.

Have fun!!!

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If you want to learn more about life and adaptations in the desert, click to Desert Animals or Desert Plants.