DESERT CACTUS
HABITAT
Cactus plants probably grew in a
tropical environment until about
65 million years ago when, in much
of California, the climate changed
from year-round rainfall to a
pattern of dry summers and wet
winters. Later, when the desert
began to form as the Sierra
Nevada and Peninsular Ranges
rose and blocked rainfall to the
eastern valleys, the cactus
adapted to the dry, desert
conditions.
Cactus plants live in hot, dry, arid
areas. The temperature usually
exceeds 20 degrees celsius and
rainfall is minimal year round.
CATUS PLANTS LIVE IN DRY ARID AREAS
ADAPTATIONS
Cacti are well adapted for survival
in the desert. They have:
Stems that can store water.
Widespread root systems that can
collect water from a large area.
In addition, cacti have spines
instead of leaves. These minimise
the surface area and so reduce
water loss by transpiration. The
spines also protect the cacti from
animals that might eat them.
The cactus manages to collect its
water using its quite large root
system. Small thin roots grow near
the surface of the soil and collect as
much rainwater as quickly as
possible during the few times it
rains. Cacti can also have a single
long thick root called a taproot
which grows much deeper to reach
underground water supplies when
the top soil is dry.