Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet...

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Desert Habitat Desert Habitat

Transcript of Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet...

Page 1: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Desert HabitatDesert Habitat

Page 2: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Where Plants and Animals Live

Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs.

Animals get food, water, and shelter from their habitat.

Page 3: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Animal survivalAnimal survival

Many animals hide below ground or under rocks to keep cool.

Page 4: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Desert EcosystemDesert EcosystemWhat is a desert: EnvironmentWhat is a desert: Environment

Desert is an area of extreme Desert is an area of extreme heat and dryness, heat and dryness, deserts, deserts, also called arid regions, also called arid regions, deserts receive less than 10 deserts receive less than 10 inches of precipitation a inches of precipitation a yearyear..

Page 5: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Desert EnvironmentDesert Environment

Rocks are all around us. Rocks are all around us. Deserts make up the Deserts make up the backbones of hills, mountains backbones of hills, mountains and the foundation of valleys.and the foundation of valleys.

Page 6: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Something Interesting I learnedSomething Interesting I learned

See websiteSee website http://www.desertusa.com/life.htmlhttp://www.desertusa.com/life.html

Something Interesting that I learned Something Interesting that I learned about the desert habitat is….about the desert habitat is….

Page 7: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Desert Animal SurvivalDesert Animal Survival http://www.desertusa.com/life.htmlhttp://www.desertusa.com/life.html

   Lack of water creates a survival Lack of water creates a survival problem for all desert organisms, problem for all desert organisms, animals and animals and plantsplants alike. But animals alike. But animals have an additional problem -- they are have an additional problem -- they are more susceptible to extremes of more susceptible to extremes of temperature than are plants. Animals temperature than are plants. Animals receive heat directly by radiation from receive heat directly by radiation from the sun, and indirectly, by conduction the sun, and indirectly, by conduction from the substrate (rocks and soil) and from the substrate (rocks and soil) and convection from the air.convection from the air.

  

Page 8: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

More on Desert Animal SurvivalMore on Desert Animal Survival

When this range of temperatures are When this range of temperatures are very high animals dies. For four or very high animals dies. For four or five months of the year, the daily five months of the year, the daily temperature is very hot.temperature is very hot.

Page 9: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Avoiding the heat/Animal SurvivalAvoiding the heat/Animal Survival

Behavioral techniques for avoiding Behavioral techniques for avoiding excess heat are numerous among excess heat are numerous among desert animals. Some of the birds, desert animals. Some of the birds, such as the Phainopepla during the such as the Phainopepla during the relatively cool spring, then leave the relatively cool spring, then leave the desert for cooler areas at higher desert for cooler areas at higher elevations or along the Pacific coast. elevations or along the Pacific coast. The Costa's Hummingbird, begins The Costa's Hummingbird, begins breeding in late winter, then leaves in breeding in late winter, then leaves in late spring when temperatures become late spring when temperatures become extremeextreme

Page 10: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Avoiding the Heat/Animal SurvivalAvoiding the Heat/Animal Survival

Many birds are active primarily at Many birds are active primarily at dawn and within a few hours of dawn and within a few hours of sunset, retiring to a cool, shady spot sunset, retiring to a cool, shady spot for the remainder of the day. Some for the remainder of the day. Some birds, such as the kingbird, continue birds, such as the kingbird, continue activity throughout the day, but activity throughout the day, but always perch in the shade.always perch in the shade.

Page 11: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

More on Animal SurvivalMore on Animal Survival

Many animals (especially mammals and Many animals (especially mammals and reptiles) are crepuscular, that is, they are reptiles) are crepuscular, that is, they are active only at dusk and again at dawn. For active only at dusk and again at dawn. For this reason, humans seldom encounter this reason, humans seldom encounter rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters. Many rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters. Many animals are completely nocturnal, restricting animals are completely nocturnal, restricting all their activities to the cooler temperatures all their activities to the cooler temperatures of the night. Bats, many snakes, most of the night. Bats, many snakes, most rodents and some larger mammals like rodents and some larger mammals like foxesfoxes and skunks, are nocturnal, sleeping in a cool and skunks, are nocturnal, sleeping in a cool den, cave or burrow by day. den, cave or burrow by day.

Page 12: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

More on Animal More on Animal Adaptation/SurvivalAdaptation/Survival

Some smaller desert animals burrow Some smaller desert animals burrow below the surface of the soil or sand below the surface of the soil or sand to escape the high temperatures at to escape the high temperatures at the desert surface. These include the desert surface. These include many mammals, reptiles, insects and many mammals, reptiles, insects and all the desert amphibians. Rodents all the desert amphibians. Rodents may plug the entrances to their may plug the entrances to their burrows to keep out the hot air. burrows to keep out the hot air.

Page 13: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Animal adaptation in the desertAnimal adaptation in the desert

Gila MonsterGila Monster

A few desert animals, such as the A few desert animals, such as the Round-tailed Ground Squirrel, a Round-tailed Ground Squirrel, a diurnal mammal, enter a state of diurnal mammal, enter a state of aestivations when the days become aestivations when the days become too hot and the vegetation too dry. too hot and the vegetation too dry. They sleep away the hottest part of They sleep away the hottest part of the summer. (They also hibernate in the summer. (They also hibernate in winter to avoid the cold season.)winter to avoid the cold season.)

Page 14: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

More on Desert Animal AdaptationsMore on Desert Animal Adaptations

Some desert animals such as Desert Toads, Some desert animals such as Desert Toads, remain dormant deep in the ground until remain dormant deep in the ground until the summer rains fill ponds. They then the summer rains fill ponds. They then emerge, breed, lay eggs and replenish their emerge, breed, lay eggs and replenish their body reserves of food and water for another body reserves of food and water for another long period. Some arthropods, such as the long period. Some arthropods, such as the fairy shrimps and brine shrimps, survive as fairy shrimps and brine shrimps, survive as eggs, hatching in saline ponds and playas eggs, hatching in saline ponds and playas during summer or winter rains, and during summer or winter rains, and completing their life cycles. completing their life cycles.

Page 15: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Animal Adaptation/ Getting rid of Animal Adaptation/ Getting rid of the heatthe heat

Dissipating HeatDissipating Heat Some animals dissipate heat absorbed from Some animals dissipate heat absorbed from

their surroundings by various mechanisms. their surroundings by various mechanisms. Owls, Poorwills and nighthawks gape open-Owls, Poorwills and nighthawks gape open-mouthed while rapidly fluttering their throat mouthed while rapidly fluttering their throat region to evaporate water from their mouth region to evaporate water from their mouth cavities. Many desert mammals have evolved cavities. Many desert mammals have evolved long appendages to dissipate body heat into long appendages to dissipate body heat into their environment. The enormous ears of their environment. The enormous ears of jackrabbits, with their many blood vessels, jackrabbits, with their many blood vessels, release heat when the animal is resting in a release heat when the animal is resting in a cool, shady location. Their relatives in cooler cool, shady location. Their relatives in cooler regions have much shorter ears.regions have much shorter ears.

Page 16: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Animal Adaptation/ Skin colorAnimal Adaptation/ Skin color

Many desert animals are paler than their Many desert animals are paler than their relatives elsewhere in more moderate relatives elsewhere in more moderate environments. Pale colors may be seen environments. Pale colors may be seen in feathers, fur, scales or skin. Pale in feathers, fur, scales or skin. Pale colors not only ensure that the animal colors not only ensure that the animal takes in less heat from the environment, takes in less heat from the environment, but help to make it less conspicuous to but help to make it less conspicuous to predators in the bright, pallid predators in the bright, pallid surroundings.surroundings.

Page 17: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Animal Adaptation/Retaining the Animal Adaptation/Retaining the waterwater

Some animals retain water by burrowing into Some animals retain water by burrowing into moist soil during the dry daylight hours (all moist soil during the dry daylight hours (all desert toads). Some predatory and scavenging desert toads). Some predatory and scavenging animals can obtain their entire moisture needs animals can obtain their entire moisture needs from the food they eat (e.g., Turkey Vulture) from the food they eat (e.g., Turkey Vulture) but still may drink when water is available. but still may drink when water is available. Reptiles and birds excrete metabolic wastes in Reptiles and birds excrete metabolic wastes in the form of uric acid, an insoluble white the form of uric acid, an insoluble white compound, wasting very little water in the compound, wasting very little water in the process. Mammals, however, excrete urea, a process. Mammals, however, excrete urea, a soluble compound that accounts for soluble compound that accounts for considerable water loss. Most mammals, considerable water loss. Most mammals, therefore, need access to a good supply of therefore, need access to a good supply of fresh waterfresh water, at least every few days, if not , at least every few days, if not daily.daily.

Page 18: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

How plants and animals get their How plants and animals get their water in the desertwater in the desert

Acquiring WaterAcquiring Water Desert creatures derive water directly Desert creatures derive water directly

from plants, particularly succulent from plants, particularly succulent ones, such as cactus. Many species of ones, such as cactus. Many species of insects thrive in the deserts this way. insects thrive in the deserts this way. Some insects tap plant fluids such as Some insects tap plant fluids such as nectar or sap from stems, while others nectar or sap from stems, while others extract water from the plant parts extract water from the plant parts they eat, such as leaves and fruit. The they eat, such as leaves and fruit. The abundance of insect life permits abundance of insect life permits insectivorous birds, bats and lizards to insectivorous birds, bats and lizards to thrive in the desert.thrive in the desert.

Page 19: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Animal adaptation/How to acquire Animal adaptation/How to acquire the water in the desertthe water in the desert

If that weren't enough, Kangaroo If that weren't enough, Kangaroo Rats, and some other desert rodents, Rats, and some other desert rodents, actually manufacture their water actually manufacture their water metabolically from the digestion of metabolically from the digestion of drydry seeds. These highly specialized seeds. These highly specialized desert mammals will not drink water desert mammals will not drink water even when it is given to them in even when it is given to them in captivity! captivity!

Page 20: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Desert Plant Adaptation and Desert Plant Adaptation and SurvivalSurvival

http://www.desertusa.com/life.htmlhttp://www.desertusa.com/life.html

To survive, desert plants have To survive, desert plants have adapted to the extremes of heat adapted to the extremes of heat Plants that have adapted by Plants that have adapted by altering their physical structure altering their physical structure such as cacti, usually have such as cacti, usually have special means of storing and special means of storing and conserving waterconserving water. They often have . They often have few or no leaves, which reduces few or no leaves, which reduces transpiration.transpiration.

Page 21: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Plant AdaptationPlant Adaptation

Phreatophytes are Phreatophytes are plants that have adapted plants that have adapted to arid environments by to arid environments by growing extremely long growing extremely long roots, allowing them to roots, allowing them to acquire moisture at or acquire moisture at or near the water table.near the water table.

Page 22: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Plant Adaptation and SurvivalPlant Adaptation and Survival

Other desert plants, using behavioral Other desert plants, using behavioral adaptations, have developed a adaptations, have developed a lifestyle in conformance with the lifestyle in conformance with the seasons of greatest moisture and/or seasons of greatest moisture and/or coolest temperatures. These type of coolest temperatures. These type of plants are usually (and inaccurately) plants are usually (and inaccurately) referred to as referred to as perennialsperennials, plants that , plants that live for several years, and live for several years, and annualsannuals, , plants that live for only a season.plants that live for only a season.

Page 23: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Plant SurvivalPlant Survival

Desert perennials often Desert perennials often survive by remaining dormant survive by remaining dormant during dry periods of the during dry periods of the year, then springing to life year, then springing to life when water becomes when water becomes available.available.

Page 24: Desert Habitat. Where Plants and Animals Live Habitat is a place where plants and animals can meet their needs. Animals get food, water, and shelter from.

Plant Adaptation and SurvivalPlant Adaptation and Survival

Most annual desert plants germinate Most annual desert plants germinate only after heavy seasonal rain, then only after heavy seasonal rain, then complete their reproductive cycle very complete their reproductive cycle very quickly. They bloom fast for a few quickly. They bloom fast for a few weeks in the spring, accounting for weeks in the spring, accounting for most of the annual wildflower most of the annual wildflower explosions of the deserts. Their heat- explosions of the deserts. Their heat- and drought-resistant seeds remain and drought-resistant seeds remain dormant in the soil until the next year's dormant in the soil until the next year's annual rains. annual rains.