Desert Xeric Shrublands Vacation
Are you sick of nice comfortable weather, an abundance of foliage, and too many pesky critters to count?
If so, the Desert Xeric Shrublands of Planet Earth are the ideal vacation destinations for you!
Xeric shrublands have extremely arid climates and usually receive less than 10 inches of rainfall per year. These lovely deserts present both extremes of climate with searingly hot days and bone-chillingly cold nights. This variance in climate is attributed to the lack of cloud cover and humidity that these deserts receive!
Image Credit "Mr. Desert Bio"
Along with the extreme climate of the xeric shrublands, there is also little tree cover to alleviate the stresses of the heat and cold. This lack of tree cover is attributed to the salty soil layer that covers the desert floor. This salty layer stunts the growth of plants and the majority of the soil lacks the organic material necessary for life to thrive.
The plants of the xeric shrublands that have managed to survive the test of time have evolved to require minimal amounts of water. This efficiency allows the plants to survive the harsh, arid climate and grow under extremely difficult circumstances. These brave plants that exist in xeric shrublands are called xerophytes. A famous xerophyte is the Joshua Tree!
Image Credit Tim LaVelle
Another famous group of xerophytes are the multiple cacti that grow through the xeric shrublands. This famous group of xerophytes has survived by reducing the overall surface area to avoid contact with the air and to reduce the amount of water evaporation. These plants are also covered in tomentose, small hairs, which also minimize the effects of evaporation. The color of the plants have also evolved to be more reflective to the sun.
Photo Credit A. Moller
(Rolf is the guy in the photo ;)
Despite the brutal conditions in the xeric shrublands, very diverse reptile faunas exist! Reptiles have evolved to live in the deserts by becoming active only during certain seasons and by regulating their body temperature to fit the environment. These reptiles also have developed modified appendages, which enable them to burrow and scurry rapidly across great expanses of loose sand. These evolutionary adaptations have enabled these reptiles not only to survive the harsh, arid climate, but also to thrive under these extreme circumstances.
Image Credit Gavin Bell (telegraph.co.uk)
With minimum resources present in the desert, the animals of the xeric shrublands track the seasonal resources and actively have to search for the necessary resources to survive. These animals are pretty "hardcore" and when I confronted a rambunctious reptile about his choice of lifestyle he confidently retorted, "I didn't choose the desert life, the desert life chose me!"
Image Credit Richard Seamman
The main decomposers of the xeric shrublands are bacteria, worms, and fungi that have adapted to the harsh desert climate. These bacteria and fungi have evolved to survive in the xeric shrublands and help to keep the desert environment clean by recycling energy and organic material. These decomposers leave behind nutrients and energy, which enable future animals and plants to survive in the desert. These decomposers have evolved to require minimum water and nutrients to perform their designated functions. Without these decomposers, the amount of waste in the desert would be totally insurmountable.
Image Credit nationalgeographic.com
The food web of the desert xeric shrublands in fairly simple considering the sparsity of life that is present. The producers like the Joshua Tree and Cacti produce fruit and seeds, which are consumed by the consumers. This symbiotic relationship enables these consumers, the reptiles and other animals, to eat the fruit and spread the seeds throughout the desert.When these critters die, the decomposers consume their remains and leave important nutrients in the soil to be recycled for further plants to be grown. This symbiotic relationship between the worms, fungi and bacteria and the plants of the desert allow for the cycle then repeats itself. Thus, life somehow manages to find a way to exist under seemingly impossible circumstances. These biomes are actually quite successful and exist all over the world!
Image Credit nationalgeographic.com
Xeriscaping is a form of human influence where these xeric shrublands are transformed into areas where gardening and landscaping are possible without need for irrigation or other water supplements. This xeriscaping allows for less imported ground water and enables the environment to be more appropriate for human habitation. However, some negative effects of xeriscaping include potential harm to the environment by bringing back unwanted predators and extreme harm to the already fragile ecosystem.
I hope that this information has been useful in your search for a suitable biome to explore on your next vacation! Xeric shrublands truly are magical places and showcase life's ability to exist under the most impossible conditions!
