Adaptations of Plants in the Desert Biome

There are more plants in the desert than just cacti. A variety of plant life can thrive in the desert with special adaptive features. What are some of the adaptations of plants in the desert biome?

Plants in the desert have special characteristics allowing them to reflect heat, prevent evaporation of moisture to reduce dryness, conserve water and even collect minimal amounts of moisture when available.

Leaves. The leaves on desert biome plants range from small and narrow to spines, thorns and hairs to no leaves. Some plants have thick shiny leaves that help reflect sunlight to save moisture. Many leaves have special pores that close during the day to reduce evaporation and open at night to soak in condensation.

Stems. Desert plants often have stems with grooves or ridges. These can expand when rainfall is available, and shrink to conserve water during dry periods. Many plants that use their stems for water storage are covered with spines or hairs to prevent evaporation of water from the stem.

Roots. Depending on the rainfall in the specific desert biome, root systems may be shallow or deep. Shallow root system can spread out over a large area just beneath the surface to take maximum advantage of any rainfall. Deep root system are able to reach down to ground water supplies.

Design. Some desert plants have leaves that are wider at the base. They may also have a narrow base in which the plant spreads out slightly toward the top. At night if there is dew or condensation, this water can run down the slight slope to the base of the plant where the roots can soak up the water.

Growth. There are some plants that only grow during certain seasons of rainfall. They go through their life cycle in just a matter of weeks. The seeds are able to survive with little water and intense heat until the next rainfall. Some plants just bloom during the rainy season, then lose their leaves and become dormant when it becomes dry.

Adaptations of Plants in the Desert Biome. Plant life is not limited to cacti in the desert. Leaves, roots, stems and design are just some adaptations of plants in the desert biome.

REFERENCES:

University of California Museum of Paleontology; The desert biome

Subtleknife; Plants and Animals Adaptations to the Desert Biome; Scienceray