Plants in deserts have developed unique adaptations to withstand drought due to the arid conditions and lack of water in their environment. These adaptations include deep roots to draw water from deep underground, reduced leaves to limit water loss through transpiration, and water storage mechanisms such as succulent tissues.
Deserts are incredibly complicated places for a plant to live. First of all, it's an extremely arid environment: it hardly rains, and when it does, it's irregular as can be. Evaporation is no joke out there, the sun beats down hard, the wind blows strong, and so little water manages to stay available for long. Then, there are big temperature variations. During the day, you can cook under a burning sun, while at night, it can get downright freezing. Not to mention that the soils are often poor, sandy, rocky—definitely not a paradise for a root. As a result, plants have to cope with all these pressures: intense heat, constant lack of water, not very generous soils, and extremely tough conditions.
Desert plants have reduced leaves, sometimes even transformed into spines, to significantly limit transpiration and avoid losing the precious water they've accumulated. Many have a thick, waxy layer called cuticle, a real waterproof coat that prevents water from evaporating too quickly under the scorching sun. Some of them even develop specialized tissues, known as succulent tissues, capable of storing water reserves in their fleshy leaves or stems. The roots also play a role: they can be very extensive on the surface or capable of reaching deep underground, ensuring valuable water collection as soon as it rains. Finally, some plants have stomata (tiny openings that allow the plant to breathe) that open only at night to avoid wasting a single drop during the hot day.
In the face of water scarcity, desert plants activate clever techniques to conserve every available drop. Some practice a particular type of photosynthesis called crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), capturing their CO₂ only at night. This allows them to avoid sweating water during the hot hours. Others increase the concentration of dissolved substances in their sap to retain their internal water as much as possible: this is called osmosis. Finally, there are those capable of enduring extreme dehydration, entering dormancy until the return of rains. They appear dead but surprisingly come back to life as soon as a downpour arrives.
Some plants prefer to evade intense periods: rather than struggling against drought, they simply enter a state of dormancy. This vegetative rest allows them to minimize their activity and avoid unnecessary water loss. Others will completely adjust their schedules by only unfolding their leaves or flowers during the cooler hours, often at night (nocturnal plants), thus avoiding the intense heat of the day. Some also adopt a radical trick: they only germinate after the rare rains, grow very quickly, produce their seeds just as fast, and then die immediately afterward—this is called a short cycle strategy, typical of many small annual desert plants.
Some desert plants, called epiphytic plants, can derive their water solely from atmospheric moisture, never needing roots in the soil.
The roots of the desert shrub mesquite can extend over 50 meters below the surface of the soil, reaching deeply buried aquifers.
The Welwitschia mirabilis, a desert plant native to the Namib Desert, can live for over 1,500 years while only developing two leaves throughout its life!
Some cacti are capable of performing photosynthesis only at night in order to minimize water loss due to the extreme heat of the day, a process known as CAM photosynthesis.
Yes, some desert plants, such as succulent plants like cacti or lithops, have thick tissues capable of storing water for long periods, allowing them to survive for many months or even years without precipitation.
Sure! Here's the translation: "Yes, with proper care, many of these plants can thrive in a favorable environment or indoors. However, it is essential to provide them with a suitable environment, limiting watering and providing plenty of light to simulate their natural conditions."
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Often, yes. The reduction or absence of leaves helps to decrease the surface area exposed to the sun, which significantly limits water evaporation. For example, cacti have replaced their leaves with spines that reduce water loss while providing protection against herbivores."
Some desert plants have flowers that only open at night to avoid the high daytime temperatures. This adaptation helps reduce water loss through evaporation and promotes pollination by nocturnal insects or animals, such as moths or bats.
Among the typical plants of deserts are the cactus, agave, living stone plant (Lithops), aloe vera, and yucca. These plants are well adapted to conserve water, reduce evaporation, and withstand extreme heat.
Desert plants often have very deep or widely spread roots. Deep roots allow them to access water from the lower layers of the soil, while shallow, widely spread roots quickly capture water during the rare rainfall.
0% of respondents passed this quiz completely!
Question 1/6
