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 How do animals and plants
survive in the Sonoran Desert,
Arizona , USA ?
 A presentation supplied by
North Chadderton School,
Oldham, Lancashire, England
 Does a barrel cactus contain
water ?
 Yes, the Barrel Cactus does
store water, but it is not free
flowing. The water is stored in
special tissue.
 Jackrabbits and other animals
can survive in very hot
conditions by eating this moist
pulp.
 Some people have been known
to survive by eating this moist
pulp. However, certain species
of cactus can contain toxins
harmful to humans.
 In addition, Arizona Native
Plant Law prohibits damaging
and destroying barrel cacti and
other native plants
 The white-winged dove has a plump
body which gives it a high mass-tosurface area ratio, which minimises
moisture loss .
 The plump body also insulates them
from extremes of temperature.
.
 The white-winged dove eats dry seeds,
and the fruit provided by cacti.
 They can go without water for four or
five days, and fly up to 10 miles to find
water.
 The white-winged dove survive even if
their body weight is reduced by 20% by
dehydration, and they are able to drink
salt water.
 They are able to rehydrate quickly, and
suck up water like a mammal, unlike
most birds.
 Rodents can sometimes
kill a Saguaro cactus , by
chewing at its moist pulp.
 The Red-Tailed Hawk
helps to reduce the rodent
population around the
cactus, by killing the
rodents for food .
 During the summer,
temperatures
can reach
o
over 110 F.
 The jackrabbit is able to
release heat through its
long ears and legs.
 Following rain showers the Ocotillo
plant grows leaves along its thorny
stems.
 During a shortage of rain the leaves
turn brown and fall. This conserves
water, by reducing evaporation.
 The green bark of the Ocotillo take
over the functions of the leaves during
heavy periods of drought.
 The process of photosynthesis is able to
continue.
 The Saguaro provides
home and protection for
birds and other small
animals.
 It provides food for its
neighbours.
 It can store large amounts
of water in its fleshy tissue
 The Desert Mariposa
unfolds its orange
coloured blossoms only in
the Spring.
 During the rest of the year
the foliage is dead.
 It EVADES the action of
the desert heat.
 The diet of the Peccary consists of
shrubs, grass, mesquite beans ,
cacti and various roots and tubers.
 They are able to eat cactus, with
the prickly spines ! They also eat
nuts and berries.
 They are able to extract sufficient
moisture from this diet for several
days at a time.
 The Peccary chooses its location
carefully, for shelter.
 They use twisting courses of desert
washes with the shade provided by
the trees.
 Living in large cavities provided
by erosion of the banks, also offers
suitable hiding places.
 The signature plant of the Sonoron
Desert : it does not exist anywhere
else in the world
 Tall column-shaped cactus with
pleated stems. Can grow to 40'
(12m) .
 Produces white flowers in Spring.
 Has a shallow root system, and can
absorb gallons of water during a
single rainfall.
 The pleats in its trunk allow for
expansion, so that it can hold tons of
water , to last through the periods of
low rainfall .
 The waxy, tough coat minimises
loss of water by evaporation.
 Can live up to 200 years.
 Smaller saguaros live under 'nurse'
plants, which provide shelter during
the early years.
 Cavities in the stems are made by
woodpeckers, and they use them as
nests.
 Once the woodpeckers move out
these homes are soon adopted by
other visitors, such as elf owls,
flycatchers, purple martins, and
brown bats.
 Damage can occur sometimes by
sudden frosts, lightning, high winds.
 Seeds swallowed by animals and
birds pass through their digestive
system unharmed. When deposited
under trees and shrubs they are
given a chance to germinate.
 Harvester ants gather seeds by the
million, and store them in an
underground food reservoir, too
deep for the seeds to sprout.
 Fortunately, the Saguaro produces
enough seeds to more than
compensate for this loss !