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North American desert fauna (5 C, 8 P) S. Fauna of the Sahara (40 P) T. Fauna of the Thar Desert (9 P) Pages in category "Desert fauna"
For example, desert grasslands are more humid and slightly cooler than its surrounding ecosystems. Many animals obtain energy by eating the surrounding vegetation, however, desert plants are much more difficult for organisms to consume. [ 10 ]
Many desert animals (and plants) show especially clear evolutionary adaptations for water conservation or heat tolerance and so are often studied in comparative physiology, ecophysiology, and evolutionary physiology. One well-studied example is the specializations of mammalian kidneys shown by desert-inhabiting species. [81]
A common example is the cactus, which has a specific means of storing and conserving water, along with few or no leaves to minimize transpiration. [8] In addition to the protection provided by spines, chemical defences are also very common. Desert plants grow slowly as less photosynthesis takes place, allowing them to invest more in defence. [8]
The Nama Karoo of Namibia has the world's richest desert fauna. [8] The Chihuahuan desert and Central Mexican matorral are the richest deserts in the Neotropics. [9] The Carnarvon xeric shrublands of Australia are a regional center for endemism. [1] The Sonoran and Baja deserts of Mexico are unusual desert communities dominated by giant ...
For example, while reptiles are able to operate at temperatures exceeding optima, they become sluggish when cold. As such, they spend their nights in burrows or crevices, where they create warm environments by quickly generating metabolic heat. [5] [32] Desert lizards usually use other animals' burrows to meet their purposes. [9]
Increasingly frequent and severe heat waves in the Southwest are damaging some desert plants known for thriving in harsh conditions. Saguaro cacti and agave have both suffered in sweltering ...
The desert flora comprises terrestrial plant communities including: creosote bush scrub; alkali sink, desert dry wash, mixed scrub; desert saltbush; sandy soil grasslands; desert dunes. The higher elevation Madrean Sky Islands are dominated by pinyon pine and California juniper ( Juniperus californica ) , with areas of Manzanita and Coulter ...