Desert
By: Justin, Ali & Braeton
Desert terrain
Plant Species and adaptations
Scientific:πΆππππππππ ππππππ‘ππ, Common:Saguaro
Scientific:πΈππππππππ‘π’π πππ’π ππππ, Common:Barrel Cactus
Scientific:πΆππhππππππππ’π π ππππππ , Common:Old Man Cactus
Scientific:πππ’ππ‘ππ, Common:Prickly Pear Cactus
Scientific:πππππππππππ ππππππ, Common:Fish Hook Cactus
Animal Species and Adaptions
Thorny Dragon
scientific-Moloch horridus, common-Thorny Dragon
The moloch horridus (thorny dragon) lives in the dry deserts of australia. Since rain fall in these deserts is near minimum they soak up water from their horns and drink it. Water can come from puddles or even dew.
Sidewinder Rattlesnake
If you grab a handful of sand it will most likely seep through the holes between your fingers. This can make sand hard to manuver through, but the sidewinder snake has a solution. By moving in a weird s shape the snake can glide right over the sand. It can also prevent the snake from touching to much of its body to the hot sand.
Fennec Fox
The heat of a desert can be overwhelming for most organisms. However, the fennec fox can survive in these temperatures. The large ears of the fox have many blood vessels that help it expel excess body heat and cool down its body in the heat of the desert.
Camel
Water and food can be sometimes scare in the desert, but camels don't mind. This animal has a large bump on its back that stores fat. When camels cant find food or water the bump can be used to extract that and survive in the rigid desert.
Dorcas Gazelle
This species of gazelle does not need to drink water often. It can get all the necessary water from food. The gazelle can even make its urine into uric acid instead of urine.
Harris Hawk
Black- tailed Jack Rabbit
Desert Horned Lizard
Food Web
Interactions Between Organisms
Mutualism- When an animal such as a desert pocket mouse eats the fruit of a prickly pear cactus it will eventually poop it out. When it is out of the body the seeds inside the feces go elsewhere and germinate. The mouse gets a tasty treat and the cactus gets its seeds spread.
Commensalism- In the desert the cactus wren often times makes its nest in a cholla cactus. As the bird gets its young in the nest, the cactus is neither harmed or hurt from the interaction.
Parasitsim- Fleas suck the blood of other animals for survival. When the fleas suck the blood of a kangaroo in the australian desert the flea gets its share of blood and the kangaroo is not helped. The flea takes advantage of the kangaroo at its expense.
Competition- The coyote in the desert and the sidewinder rattlesnake both fight over wood rats. Both feed on the rat and there is only a limited amount of rats so they compete against each other for that resource
Stages of Sucession
Stage 2- In this stage shallow root plants grow as well as many shrubs and bushes. Small trees are starting to grow but there isn't that much vegetation. Few insects are there but all in all animals really have not start coming.
Stage 3- This stage of succession shows that there are small cacti and bigger bushes. There is allot more growth than in stage one. Some primary and secondary consumers have started to come such as mice or lizards.
Stage 4- In this stage of succession the community is almost back to its original state. There are large cacti and trees in the area. The shrubs and bushes in the area have also grown. The ground is crawling with animals with the addition of tertiary and quaternary predators such as snakes and birds of prey. The area is flourishing and looks great.
Interesting Facts
1.There are parts of the Atacama Desert where no rain has ever been recorded. Scientists believe portions of the region have been in an extreme desert state for 40 million years.
2. It snowed in the Sahara desert in 1979.
3. There was once camels roaming in the deserts of Arizona.
4. Only 15% of the Sahara dessert is covered in sand.