How are cacti adapted to survive in the desert?

How are cacti adapted to survive in the desert?

How Are Cactus Adapted To Survive In A Desert? A cactus has special adaptations in its roots, leaves as well as stems that enable it to thrive in desert environments. These adaptations include – spines, shallow roots, deep-layer stomata, thick and expandable stem, waxy skin and a short growing season.

What are the adaptations of a cactus stem?

For instance, the ribs and flutes on a species, like the rounded ball cactus stem, enable it to easily shrink during the prolonged desert droughts and expand when it rains. Shrinking is an adaptation that ensures there is just a small surface area hence reducing water loss. Expanding gives the stem enough room to take up as much water as possible.

Why does Moeritherium have a flexible upper lip?

Moeritherium’s long, flexible upper lip and snout point to the evolutionary origins of the elephant’s trunk, the same way its long front incisors can be considered ancestral to tusks. The similarities end there, though: like a small hippopotamus, Moeritherium probably spent its time half-submerged in swamps, eating soft,…

What are the characteristics of Moeritherium?

However, they also had a few features that would become dead-ends in elephant lines. Features such as short and stubby legs. Moeritherium was approximately 8 feet long and weighed around 200 pounds. That means that it was about as long as a horse but only weighed about as much as a wild boar.

How do cactus roots grow when it rains?

The cactus plants have shallow roots that absorb water from the ground. The plant also grows temporary roots when the ground becomes damp with the goal for absorbing plenty of water during the rains. It only takes about two hours for a cactus plant to grow these roots. After the rains stop, the roots dry up.

How do cacti roots differ from other plant roots?

Cacti roots differ from those of other plants in a number of ways and these are in themselves adaptations to better survive the desert terrain. They’re shallow and widespread to take advantage of any light rains in the desert.