Plants in the desert have adapted over the centuries in order to survive intense heat and small quantities of water when compared to other parts of the country.
Adaptations can occur in many forms and it is interesting to take a look at several methods that have proven effective over time.
Seeds can be distributed over long distances in the digestive systems of birds.
Land dwelling animals distribute seed when it drops from their furry coats.
Mother nature moves a great deal of seed around by wind which can carry it for countless miles.
Some plants can store large quantities of water in their root systems like the saguaro cactus which has the ability to retain up to one hundred and sixty liters of the precious fluid.
Succulent specimens have swelled foliage which have evolved into excellent reservoirs.
Plants may have simply moved from a lowland location to a cooler mountain region. No plants do not pack their suitcases and move but seeds that were planted by nature in areas where they could not survive did die out. Then let’s say that seeds of the same variety found their way, in a manner as mentioned above, to an area more favorable for the species.
Certain species when water supplies become short and the stress of existing under harsh conditions become too great they will go into a state of dormancy.
Man for many years has changed the appearance of some desert areas as some of the seeds that he planted have found their way, by one means or another, to the sandy landscape. Perhaps some of these varieties will exist or even adapt to the desert.
