Light, Shadows and Reflections. Electricity and Circuits. Fun with Magnets. Air Around Us. Garbage In, Garbage Out. Book a free class. Book a free class Join class now already booked a class? Ncert exemplar solutions. Book a free class now. Components of Food 3. Fibre to Fabric 4. Sorting Materials into Groups 5. Separation of Substances 6. Changes Around Us 7. Getting to Know Plants 8. 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. The stems and spines of any cactus plant have a layer of thick wax. The functionality behind this is so that cacti can stop any water loss as much as possible.
With the thick layer of wax mixed with the ability to shrink and expand, the wax serves as a multifunctional purpose. It helps the cacti retain as much water in as possible without allowing the sun, or the idea of evaporation, to affect cacti as much as it would with your average plant.
Cacti grow only during the short rainy seasons and stay dormant for the long dry months of the desert. This adaptation ensures water efficiency as the stored water is only used in very vital processes such as photosynthesis.
The development of new cells and tissues water-intensive is confined to periods of rain when water is aplenty. Photosynthesis occurs in the leaves during the day for most plant species. But not for a good deal for cacti. This vital process is carried out in the stems as the cacti are devoid of leaves at night. Such an adaptation ensures the plant loses very little water as its stomata are only open at this time when temperatures are at the minimum.
Water is a valuable commodity to lots of organisms but its value increases probably hundreds of times in a desert setting. Every drop counts.
Cacti get this all very well. In fact, on some cactus species, the cuticle can be thick enough such that you can easily scratch wax off the plant surface with your fingernail. The thick cuticle prevents water stored in the plant from evaporation into the atmosphere. It also protects the plant from germs and other microorganisms that may try to attack it from the surface. The primary purpose of stomata is to let in carbon dioxide that helps the plant to manufacture food. When the stomata open, water vapor escapes from the plant into the atmosphere.
Typically, the stomata open during the day and close at night. To minimize water loss through the opening of stomata, cacti experience reversed opening and closing of the stomata. This means that the stomata close during the day and open at night.
Areoles are plant structures unique to cacti. They usually appear as woolly or hairy areas on the stem from which spines emerge. They also produce flowers. In Pereskia , one of the common types of cacti, the areolas appear in the axils of leaves the angle between the leaf stalk and the stem. In the leafless cacti, the areoles can be found on the raised areas of the stem where the leaf bases would have been. In most cases, areoles are circular or oval and separated into two parts. The part that is nearer the top of the stem produces flowers while the other part produces spines.
In most cases, they are yellow or brown and only produce spines or flowers for a few years before they become inactive. This is the primary reason why most cacti plants have a relatively fixed number of spines and a few flowers that are mostly produced from the top end of the stem.
How long does it take a cactus to grow? Typically, the cactus plant grows slowly with all the growth occurring at the tip of the plant. It takes between 10 and 70 years for a Saguaro cactus plant to mature and attain a height of about 7 feet tall. Does cactus die? Just like any other living thing, the cactus plant dies after attaining maturity or even before that. The desert conditions can sometimes be too harsh for cacti to survive.
If there is no rain for prolonged periods and the cactus depletes its water reserves, the chances of dying are quite high. However, a cactus is rarely killed by predators since it has prickly spines that serve as an effective self-defense mechanism. How does a cactus plant reproduce? Cacti are flowering plants , which means that they rely on the pollination of their flowers to reproduce. Like any other flowering plant, cacti reproduce sexually depending on the ability of pollen to reach the stigma.
They rely on simple pollination methods such as wind transfer. Stay updated with the latest facts, tips, advice, and more! Your privacy is important to us. Written by Cactusway Team. Most of us know that a desert is a harsh environment, but how is the cactus adapted to the desert?
Share on facebook. Share on twitter. Share on pinterest. The primary reason why cacti survive in that ecosystem is because of their numerous adaptations, which include: The leaves of this plant are reduced to needle-like structures referred to as spines that limit water loss, which could occur during the process of transpiration.
The needle-like leaves act as a self-defense mechanism that protects the plant from predators. The stem of the cactus plant is swollen and contain numerous collapsible water-storage cells that store water for a relatively long period The stem is green and performs photosynthesis.
The plant has a shallow root system that absorbs maximum water even during light showers. The plant is covered with a thick waxy cuticle that helps to conserve water and protect it from desiccation in the scorching heat. Characteristics of the Cactus Plant that Helps It to Adapt to Desert Climate The cactus plant can survive in the desert because it has developed mechanisms to absorb a maximum amount of water whenever it rains, store the water for a relatively long period while using it efficiently.
The green and thick-walled stems help to store water for a long period The vast majority of cacti have succulent stems that are well adapted to living in arid and semi-arid areas. Finding Water in the Desert Water is a basic need for any living organism. The Mexican Saguaro Fog is another reliable source of water in deserts whenever the conditions are right for it.
Modifications to the Root System that Helps the Cactus Plant to Adapt to Desert Climate The roots of the cactus plant are usually found near the surface and rarely go deep. The roots absorb as much water as possible and direct it to the stem region for storage Some types of cacti also have a modified root system that can store water and food. The Role of the Thick Cuticle The other essential feature of the cactus that helps it to survive in deserts is the thick cuticle.
The Role of Areolas Areoles are plant structures unique to cacti. The areoles produces flowers while the other part produces spines Related Questions How long does it take a cactus to grow? Share on email. Share on print. Related stories.
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